Pub staff took a break from serving bitter to pick up litter in their local area.

Teams of volunteers from Hall and Woodhouse’s public houses across Dorset took part in Founder’s Sweepers, an annual company event where rubbish is collected to improve the environment for residents and local wildlife as part of the Keep Britain Tidy campaign.

The Founder's Sweepers initiative was also set up to honour the founders and community values of the Blandford-based company, which owns a network of more than 260 public houses in the South of England.

Eight public houses in Dorset got involved and were joined by local volunteers and children who also wanted to help clear up their neighbourhoods.

The public houses included the Ship Inn and Smuggler’s Inn in Weymouth, the Duchess of Cornwall in Dorchester, Lulworth Cove Inn, the Old Granary in Wareham, and the Hall and Woodhouse Brewery, The Crown Hotel and World’s End in Blandford.

In Blandford, hundreds of sacks of rubbish were collected by a team which included more than 70 staff from various departments, including hospitality, brewing and central services.

Even the managing director and directors of Hall and Woodhouse got stuck in. 

Anthony Woodhouse, managing director of Hall & Woodhouse, said: “We are very proud of our teams and the volunteers who have worked hard to clear a huge amount of rubbish. 

“Littering isn’t just an eyesore, it can harm wildlife and the environment too. We want to make a difference to the communities we work in, and this is just one way we can make a positive impact”.

Hall & Woodhouse is a family-run business, now in its fifth generation, well known for its range of ales brewed under the Badger brand and its network of 260 public houses.