PARISH councils are backing a campaign chief's call to blitz the blight of litter.

Commander Robin Bawtree, executive director of the Dorset branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), said he believed parish council backing for a campaign to clean up the county would make a significant difference.

He is calling for more parish councils to follow the lead of Wool and appoint a litter warden.

He said: "Wool has had a litter warden for several years now and we're hoping that others will follow and pay someone for a few hours a week to get rid of litter from their villages.

"We held a seminar recently and several parish councils attended and were interested. I've also spoken at parish council meetings and it's starting to go on their agendas.

"I think they would make a significant difference and encourage other people to take responsibility for their areas and get rid of rubbish.

"It is unsightly and it's also a hazard for wildlife and animals.

"We have had reports from people who have spotted rubbish and litter in towns including parts of Poundbury and Dorchester. And there's a lot in rural areas which just gets left."

Cdr Bawtree added: "We need to get the message across that littering and fly-tipping are not just anti-social habits but also criminal offences."

He has already carried out a clean-up near his own home, gathering a bag full of rubbish from a verge.

He said: "There is so much rubbish in the countryside. It's not always very obvious, especially when verges grow up."

Cdr Bawtree is urging people to pick up litter near their homes and to contact authorities if they see fly-tipping.

He also wants people to report motorists who fling rubbish out of vehicle windows. And he aims to get the message across to children by taking the national Stop the Drop campaign being run by the CPRE into schools.

He said: "One area in Dorchester that's bad is a path near the Thomas Hardye School - it's not necessarily the children causing it because it runs into a housing estate - but there is no doubt that children do drop litter and we want to educate them to stop."

Writer Bill Bryson, the charity's president, is spearheading the national litter crackdown.

Contact CPRE Dorset on 01305 265808 to report fly-tipping and litter.