EVERY single resident of Okehampton is being urged to take part in the next 'Keep Okehampton Tidy' day on Saturday, November 29.

This will be the latest event encouraging Okehampton residents to take pride in their area and tidy up the town.

'If everyone collects litter in their own road then it's job done,' said former town mayor Cllr the Rev Mike Davies, who instigated the united town clean-ups after pupils of Kes Tor Class at Okehampton Primary?School wrote individual letters to him about the overuse of plastic shopping bags and the state of littering in the town.

The first few 'Keep Okehampton Tidy' events have been supported by the town council, Okehampton Primary School and the Okement Rivers Improvement Group.

For this month's event Mr Davies is keen to enrol the support of other community groups and is asking for leaders of such groups to get in touch.

He said: 'If each of our community and voluntary groups could allocate just one hour on the Saturday, just imagine how clean and tidy the town would be.

'We have had the army and air cadets help us in the past and now I am hoping others will join in too.

'If everyone takes responsibility for their road or street it would be great.

'Last time we collected about 50 bags of litter full of things like chrisp packets and sweet wrappers. You really notice the difference the next day when you drive into Okehampton and see it litter free.

'We want to improve the entrances to the town but the aim is also to keep the whole town tidy.'

On the day there will be two main groups and local people are asked to join up with either group. Both will start at 9.30am and the Okement Rivers Improvement Group will meet at the recycling bins in the Waitrose Car Park.

The second group will also meet at 9.30am outside Okehampton Primary School.

As has been the arrangement on previous collections, rubbish collected can be taken to Okehampton Primary School by 2pm on the tidy day and arrangements have been made for collection later in the same day.

However, this year a second collection point has been added in Mill Road Car Park. Bagged items need to be left in place by 2pm.

For those who cannot or would prefer not to be involved in a larger group, they are encouraged to try and collect the litter in their own road and bag it up with their household rubbish for the weekly collection.

If you would like to get your community or voluntary group involved, contact Mr Davies on 01837 659841.

Further information can be found on the 'Keep Okehampton Tidy' Facebook page.