A popular beach got a deep clean thanks to volunteers.

Staff from Southern Co-op joined forces with the Dorset Wildlife Trust to clean up Chesil Beach as part of a series of event for Co-operatives Fortnight.

The national awareness fortnight aims to show how people can achieve more together than in isolation.

Both colleagues and members of Southern Co-op joined in with the beach clean up and scoured the area for disregarded rubbish.

They collected a total of 15 bags of rubbish from a two mile stretch of Chesil Beach.

Gemma Lacey, director of sustainability and communications at Southern Co-op, said: “We always try and do something during Co-operatives Fortnight which makes a difference in our local community as well as promoting working co-operatively.

“We wanted to get involved in marine conversation and combat issues around plastics. There have been a lot of local concerns about rubbish along our shore lines so we thought this opportunity was perfect.

“It was a hot day but everyone battled on and collected everything from disposable barbecues and a road sign to a fishing line and carrier bags. There was even a sanitary waste disposal bin which had been left on the beach.

“We encourage our colleagues to volunteer throughout the year and are very proud of everyone who took part this fortnight to make a difference to our local beach. We will also continue to raise awareness of the need to responsibly use and dispose of plastic items which will help to keep our beaches clean in the future.”

Wildlife Trusts across the south have been a key partner for Southern Co-op over the last ten years to help families get outside and explore their local wild neighbourhoods.

Sally Cooper, corporate development officer at Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: “Chesil Beach is regularly cleaned by our kind volunteers, staff and visitors but the arrival of new rubbish is constant and we appreciate and greatly value all help we get with maintaining it as a clean and safe place for local and visiting wildlife and people.

“Southern Co-op staff came to join us early and in impressive number on July 13. They brought with them a brilliant enthusiasm for the task.

“The beach looked clean when we arrived but on closer inspection we came across lots of smaller pieces of plastic as well as finding those big items like disposable barbecues that people leave behind.”