Cyclist collects more than 1,100 pieces of litter

A cyclist has litter-picked more than 650 plastic bottles, 370 banana skins and 500 cans while out on her bike this year alone.

Lindsay Buck lives in Gosforth, Cumbria, and together with other volunteers has made it her business to keep the area clean.

Whenever she is out in her village, the Wasdale Valley or her favourite mountain Scafell Pike, she fills her bicycle basket with rubbish.

"Nothing is ok to be left on the fell," she said.

"I'm very intolerant of it looking a mess.

"I absolutely love Scafell Pike, I love the Wasdale valley and where I live, so what I get out of it is trying to keep it tidy and doing the same when I go somewhere else."

She said she often finds discarded clothing, which she washes and donates to charity.

But one of the biggest issue is single use items, especially food items.

"If people were just a bit more sustainable, maybe took a sandwich in a paper bag rather than everything wrapped in plastic, it might help."

But Ms Buck believes more education is also needed when people visit the area.

"Everybody has a right to get outside for mental and physical health - there's nothing better," she said.

"But the problem is we don't really help people be prepared.

"If we don't help people do the right thing then they're not necessarily going to know what the right thing is."

Ms Buck said the effort to keep the area clean comes from the entire community and some visitors.

"It's great to leave no trace, it's even better if people pick things up.

"If 100 people pick one piece of rubbish up, it sends a really powerful message to encourage other people to do the same."

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