A team of dedicated volunteers are working to make Castle Cove Beach in Weymouth the UK’s first litter-free beach.

The beach – which is privately owned – was reopened to the public in April following a successful community campaign to restore access.

It had been blocked off for more than five years after a landslide.

A new set of steps down to the beach have since been erected so residents and visitors alike can once again enjoy the idyllic spot.

According to Chairman of the Friends of Castle Cove Beach, Steve Elsworth, around 500 people have been visiting the beach daily since it reopened.

This has led to large amounts of litter being left on the beach.

A team of around five dedicated volunteers have taken on the task of emptying the bins each day.

They have been carrying the bin bags up the steps to Sandsfoot Café where they are placed in the café’s rubbish container.

However, Mr Elsworth says that due to the quantity of litter being left on the beach, it’s becoming more difficult for the volunteers to remove the litter and they need some help.

He said: “We are finding it difficult to cope with the quantity. There are one to two full bin bags of litter each day, sometimes weighing 40 to 50 kilos, so we can’t carry them up the steps. We are appealing for more volunteers to help out over the school holidays.”

Meanwhile, the Friends want to declare Castle Cove Beach the UK’s first litter-free beach.

Mr Elsworth says he has been visiting the beach daily and speaking to visitors and asking them to take their litter home with them.

He said: “We will be declaring Castle Cove Beach the UK’s first litter free beach. We will be putting signs up saying this is a litter free beach, please take your litter home with you, the bins are emptied by volunteers.

“I will also continue asking people on the beach to take their litter home with them. I think local people understand that the bins are emptied by volunteers not the council and will be sympathetic.”

“For us the beach is a community asset, we think a combination of signs and talking to people one to one will make a big difference.”

Mr Elsworth added: “Wouldn’t it be exciting if the UK’s first litter-free beach was in Weymouth?”

If you would like to volunteer email charity@friendsofcastlecovebeach.co.uk