COMMUNITY action was the order of the day last weekend as volunteers helped clear Okehampton of discarded litter and refuse. On the last Saturday of every month, Okehampton county councillor Christine Marsh leads a rivers group to help clear up litter on and around the River Ockment. The group was joined on Saturday by around a dozen members of the Central Devon Conservatives 'Community Action Team'. The team, who helped collect litter that included drink cans, carrier bags and crisps packets, were led by Conservative prospective candidate for the new parliamentary seat in Central Devon, Mel Stride. Mr Stride said: 'It is a great shame that so much litter gets dropped nowadays, especially in a place as beautiful as along the banks of the Ockment. 'It is great that the people of Okehampton care enough to come out and do something about it. 'Clearing the litter from the river will make a massive difference to its appeal, not only for visitors, but for residents as well.' Cllr Marsh added: 'Mel and his team were great. It was good to have some enthusiastic young people to help.' The rivers group meets on the last Saturday of every month at 10am by the recycling bins in Waitrose car park, Okehampton. Anyone is welcome to attend and help keep the River Ockment clean.
