Great Dorset Beach Clean will return to Weymouth and Portland

Volunteers can attend four beach cleans in the area, the first of which will take place on Hamm Beach, Portland, on Monday, April 17 from 2pm to 4pm.

The next of these events will take place on Saturday, April 22 at Chiswell, Portland from 10.30am to 12.30pm and at Castle Cove, Weymouth, from 11am to 1pm.

Bringing the week to a close, the final clean in the area will take place at Ferrybridge, Weymouth, from 10am to noon.

Emma Teasdale, Litter Free Dorset Coordinator, said: “The Great Dorset Beach Clean is the perfect opportunity to enjoy Dorset’s beautiful beaches while joining together to help the environment. We appreciate anyone who wants to make the most of our incredible coastline and help keep our beaches clean. It’s fun, free and family friendly.”

The event which sees 17 beach cleans happening across the Dorset coast from Lyme Regis to Christchurch  is now in its 33rd year and last year's event saw more than 200 people take part as volunteers cleared 100 bags of rubbish, as well as bulky items such as oil containers, tyres, a door, and ironically a bin.

Litter and plastics left on the beach are likely to end up in the sea, causing considerable harm to the marine environment and affecting water quality, as well as being unsightly.

Great Dorset Beach Clean events (Image: Great Dorset Beach Clean)

Lizzie Prior, Beach watch Manager at the Marine Conservation Society, said: “The Great Dorset Beach Clean is a fantastic project at helping us tackle issue of litter. At the Marine Conservation Society, we’ve been collecting litter data for almost 30 years. It has helped us inform our UK Governments to introduce policy such as the 5p bag charge and a ban on plastic cotton bud sticks.

“Getting involved in beach cleaning projects like the Great Dorset Beach Clean is a fantastic opportunity to get outdoors, give back and protect our ocean.”

To sign up, head to Litter Free Dorset’s social media platforms.