VOLUNTEERS will hit the beaches later this month to give them a spring clean.

After a wild winter when the Dorset coast was lashed by storms, teams will have a big job on their hands.

The beach blitz is all part of the Great Dorset Beach Clean on Sunday, April 27.

The event celebrates its 26th year in 2014.

Supporting the ‘Litter Free Coast and Sea campaign’ and organised by Dorset County Council’s coastal ranger team, volunteers will be lending a hand at 25 of the county’s beaches.

A beach master will be on hand at each location to give out rubbish bags, gloves and instructions.

And local businesses are offering a mouth-watering incentive for those taking part this weekend.

Cafes, pubs and restaurants are offering discounted meals to volunteers who lend a hand.

There will also be free parking available for volunteers at most sites.

Please see the website and ask your beach master on the day.

Since 1988 15,227 people have taken part in the clean-ups beach clean, collecting 20,381 bags of rubbish.

The haul at the 2013 beach clean included a giant fishing aerial, a 25 litre container of sump oil, a large horseshoe flotation device, an empty cash box from a car park ticket machine, inflatable dinghy and a homemade trolley.

Coordinator of the event Jenny Penney, who is Senior Coastal Ranger at Dorset County Council said: “It’s vital that we keep cleaning beaches to make them safe for people and wildlife as well as maintaining their beauty.

“By helping monitor and pick up litter on our beaches, people can make a real difference.”

All beach cleans are organised by Dorset Countryside Ranger service, supporting the Litter Free Coast and Sea campaign, initiated by the Dorset Coast Forum and World Heritage teams.

All beach monitoring will be forwarded to the Marine Conservation Society in support of the International anti-marine pollution initiative.

For more information about the 2014 Great Dorset Beach Clean visit dorsetforyou.com/greatdorsetbeachclean or call 07977 508094.

 

Meeting times

Lyme Regis, The slipway, Cobb Harbour, 10am-12pm
Charmouth, Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, 10am-12pm
Seatown, National Trust Land Rover at Seatown, 11am-1pm

Eype, Eype Beach car park, 10am-12noon
West Beach & East Beach, Steps down to West Beach on Esplanade, 10am-12noon
Burton Bradstock, Outside Hive Beach Café, 11am-1pm
Cogden Beach, National Trust Land Rover on beach, 11am-1pm
West Bexington, Beach car park, 11am-1pm
Abbotsbury, Abbotsbury Beach car park, 10am-12noon
Chesil Cove, Promenade by Cove House Inn, 11am-1pm
Church Ope Cove, On the beach, 11am-1pm
Portland Castle & Sailing Club, On beach adjacent to Portland Castle, 11am-1pm
Ferrybridge, Chesil Beach Centre, 11am-1pm
Newton’s Cove, On the prom, 11am-1pm
Bowleaze Cove, Slipway, Bowleaze Cove, 11am-1pm
Osmington Beach, Osmington Beach, bottom of beach steps on Shortlake Lane, 10am-12noon
Ringstead Beach & Bay, Bottom car park at Ringstead, 11am-1pm
Lulworth Cove, At the slipway, 11am-1pm

Worbarrow Bay, Follow path to beach from Tyneham car park, 1pm-3pm