DESPITE freezing weather, more than ten families joined the Alton ambassadors and the deputy mayor’s litter-picking crew for a town clean-up - and they managed to fill the town council’s big wheelie bin with a collection of cigarette butts, bottles, cans, masks, food wrappers, and even some clothes hangers.

Pickers were rewarded with mince pies donated by Alton Sainsbury’s and distributed by Ríana Gallagher, who owns the new gift shop in Goodfellows Alley.

Organiser Kat Guenioui said: "There’s a surprising appetite for litter picking. It’s an activity the kids love and it makes the grown-ups feel good too - plus it tackles the litter problem."