A BAND of school and college students gave up a day of their Easter break yesterday to carry out a spring clean operation in a Northumberland seaside village.

Environment-conscious teenagers from the youth participation organisation Young People in Northumberland (YPiN) spent several hours tidying up a popular public open space in the village of Lynemouth, near Druridge Bay.

They joined staff from Groundwork North East and the county council to pick up unsightly litter, trim and tidy foliage and repair walkways through Lynemouth Dene, which is used by local walkers and dog owners.

The operation was carried out to support a campaign aimed at protecting Northumberland's reputation as one of England's most beautiful counties.

Love Northumberland was launched last October in an attempt to harness people power in a drive to keep the county's coastline, countryside and communities as clean and green as possible.

Since then local people have been signing up as volunteer environmental champions, and groups have come forward to talk to the authority about helping to clean up their communities.

Yesterday’s effort was part of a commitment by YPiN to help improve and protect the environment of the county.

Youth worker Laura Waugh, who was part of the 12-strong team working at Lynemouth, said: “The dene was chosen for a clean-up because it has something of a reputation for young people going down there and causing a bit of a mess.

“We wanted to show that not all young people are like that so we are here today cleaning the place up, cutting back branches and generally making it more accessible and welcoming for people. The young people taking part are loving it and really getting stuck in.”