Enjoying the restorative powers of nature is more important than ever and hundreds of villagers are taking an hour or two out of their day to enjoy the beautiful North Dorset countryside.

But it would seem the coronavirus pandemic has shone a light on an increase in rubbish strewn along roadside verges, most notably along the old A303 from Bayford to Bourton on both sides of the road.

An army of litter-picking volunteers from Bourton and the surrounding villages do a wonderful job keeping our villages tidy and many have reported an increase in rubbish since the first lockdown last year.

Avid litter picker Sheila Williams from Bourton said: “Our roadside verges are groaning under a proliferation of beer cans, plastic sheeting, bottles, tyres and fast food waste jettisoned by motorists. Currently, the route from Bayford to Bourton is particularly unsightly and offensive. Regular litter picks are undertaken by volunteers, but the problem seems to have increased during lockdown and as fast as the rubbish is removed, more appears in its wake. The south west is lauded as one of the most beautiful parts of the country in which to live, yet it is slowly being ruined by fly-tipping and waste.”

Just last week five black sacks were filled in less than an hour. Foul-smelling and offensive as it is, volunteers sort through the mess and recycle as much as possible, but it has to go in their own bins or taken directly to the tip nine miles away in Shaftesbury.

Speaking on behalf of Bourton Parish Council, clerk Eve Wynn said: “Thankfully in Bourton we have a dedicated team of volunteer litter pickers who do a wonderful job in keeping the parish clear of litter and their hard work is evident as you leave the village to then witness the dreadful amount of litter along the verges of the B3081 to Wincanton.”

In Marnhull, some 30 volunteers have joined the Marnhull Pickers, with many people using their daily exercise to undertake litter picking in the village.

The Marnhull Pickers group co-ordinator John Seear said: “Regrettably nobody has reported a decline in litter (due to lockdown). The best was ‘much the same’ with equal numbers reporting some worsening and a number reporting much worse.”

A South Somerset District Council spokesperson said: “We recognise the great efforts of so many local volunteer litter-picking groups and individual pickers doing great work. Like the many volunteers, our staff are committed to keep our communities, parks and roads clean and in good order. It’s frustrating when just a few days afterwards, areas are covered with litter again. There are risks involved with litter picking and our staff work safely within written risk assessments for the task; and we urge anyone who does voluntarily litter pick to consider any dangers, such as volume of traffic. With current lockdown restrictions, members of the public are restricted to only litter pick as part of their daily hourly exercise and like all of us, must stay at home unless for essential journeys. Ideally, litter is a problem that should not exist if everyone took responsibility for their own rubbish.”

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