WIDEMOUTH Task Force (WTF) has cleared over 650 kilos of rubbish at a recent beach clean held at Phillip’s Point recently.

Taking place on Saturday, February 17, and described as ‘one of WTF’s most difficult cleans to date,’ a group of nine volunteers accessed Phillip’s Point, near Bude, by rope and cleared 650 kilos of rubbish — 90% of which was fishing related.

A total of eight fishing trays and nine dumpy bags were filled.

Ado Shorland, organiser of Widemouth Task Force’s beach cleans, said 80% of the waste will be recycled through Keep Britain Tidy’s Beach Care scheme, with just one bag of the rubbish going to the bins.

Widemouth Task Force try to hold beach cleans once a month, as part of a wider effort, predominantly in Bude, to raise awareness of the dangers of plastic pollution in the seas. Volunteers gather at Widemouth Bay to try and rid their beach of plastic nurdles, litter and other dangerous plastics.

Ado said:?“We try to do [beach cleans] once a month, depending on what’s needed. At the moment the beaches are fairly good.”

Their most recent clean took place on Sunday, March 4, with ‘Keep Britain Tidy’.