I
Ian Cloke
Guest
A KITCHEN worktop, rolls of fencing wire, scrap metal, tyres and balloons were just some of the items found by volunteers at a beach sweep in Bootle at the weekend.
The sweep was organised as part of the Marine Conservation Society?s ?Beach Watch?, and enabled helpers to clean-up the shoreline to protect wildlife, while creating a detailed survey of the kinds of waste that washes ashore.
Lake District National Park Authority ranger Phil Clague said: ?It was a good effort and the beach looked great ? until the next tide and high winds brings in another batch of debris.?
Helpers from the Coast Group Volunteers Project joined forces with the Lake District Volunteers Service, Copeland Borough Council and locals to tackle the sands.
Mr Clague was full of praise for the volunteers, but concerned about the amount and type of rubbish that was recorded on the beach.
He said: ?The number of washed-up balloons on plastic ribbons was particularly worrying as they are bad news for sea birds and turtles.
?People don?t realise there are turtles around British waters.
?They swallow balloons thinking they are jelly fish and when they die other sea mammals eat them and the sad cycle continues.?
The sweep was organised as part of the Marine Conservation Society?s ?Beach Watch?, and enabled helpers to clean-up the shoreline to protect wildlife, while creating a detailed survey of the kinds of waste that washes ashore.
Lake District National Park Authority ranger Phil Clague said: ?It was a good effort and the beach looked great ? until the next tide and high winds brings in another batch of debris.?
Helpers from the Coast Group Volunteers Project joined forces with the Lake District Volunteers Service, Copeland Borough Council and locals to tackle the sands.
Mr Clague was full of praise for the volunteers, but concerned about the amount and type of rubbish that was recorded on the beach.
He said: ?The number of washed-up balloons on plastic ribbons was particularly worrying as they are bad news for sea birds and turtles.
?People don?t realise there are turtles around British waters.
?They swallow balloons thinking they are jelly fish and when they die other sea mammals eat them and the sad cycle continues.?