COMMUNITY-minded residents are being urged to join forces to take part in a new clean up operation.

Organised by the new Bromsgrove group, Town Team, residents will be picking up litter and tidying places in the High Street where rubbish gathers during the Great Bromsgrove Clean-Up event.

Lorita Cornish, who runs Lorita’s Bakehouse, and chairman of town team, said: "We need to take responsibility for our High Street and make everyone proud of it.

"The clean-up will not only make the High Street look better, it will also bring the community together."

Bromsgrove District Council is supporting the initiative by providing litter pickers and clean-up equipment for the event, being held on Wednesday, August 19.

Councillor Rita Dent, who’s portfolio covers the High Street, said: "Although the council has a cleaning schedule, unfortunately people drop litter in between these times and also in areas that we are not responsible for keeping tidy.

"We want people to stop dropping rubbish and littering the High Street and the whole district in the first place, so I hope this community effort will make people think twice."

Residents or groups who want to take part in the clean up operation are asked to email Lorita on eat@loritasbakehouse.co.uk or Martin, at the Bromsgrove Cobbler, at bromsgrovecobbler@gmail.com.