A CONSCIENTIOUS Year 1 pupil at Okehampton Primary School helped to lead a litter pick in the town last weekend after becoming dismayed by the amount of litter in the area.

Aimee Teixeira, aged six, was so concerned by the amount of rubbish and plastic strewn about the leafless verges and bushes in Okehampton, she asked her mum Jo if she could organise a 30 minute community litter pick.

The event was organised for February 25, with Aimee designing a poster and her family setting up a private Facebook event to promote the occasion. It was planned to be similar to the two minute beach clean, where anybody can pick up litter at any time.

More than 80 people took part in the litter pick, with others sharing pictures from Plymouth, Torquay and even Bournemouth after being inspired by Aimee’s litter cleaning plan.

Aimee said it was time to take action ‘to save our planet. People need to know that we are poisoning the world and we need to look after it.’

Her mum Jo said: ‘I had no idea that so many people would support this campaign, it’s clear that many of us do care about our community and the environment. It was really heart-warming to receive such positive comments from people.

‘There have been suggestions that this may become an alternative play date! As a family, we’d like to thank everyone who took part — now let’s start planning the next one.’

•?Aimee is pictured with Okehampton Primary classmates Oscar and Megan on the litter pick.