STAFF from McDonalds restaurants across Essex and Hertfordshire were armed with litter-pickers when they joined forces with Bishop's Stortford mayor Jan Richardson and local residents to give the town a spring-clean.

Seventy-two staff from restaurants in the two counties were drafted in as part of the Tidy Britain Groups "Just Bin It!" campaign, to help spruce up the town as well as trying to get the anti litter message across.

The group joined Mrs Richardson, town and district councillors and local scouts for the event.

McDonalds has supported the campaign, previously called "National Spring Clean", for 12 years, by organising local clean-ups across the country, such as the one in Bishop's Stortford.

McDonalds area manager for Bishop's Stortford, Nadeem Jaffery, said: "Its great to work in partnership with the local community to tackle the issue of litter at its root, through fun events with an important message.

"On a day-to-day basis, we provide a dedicated litter patroller and many McDonalds external bins, and are now sponsoring council litter bins to encourage people to dispose of their litter responsibly."

Mrs Richardson added: "The town looks spick and span following the spring-clean thanks must go to all those taking part."