VOLUNTEERS are being sought by environmental groups to help with a weekend clean up of two West Somerset beaches next month.

Plastic Free Exmoor is organising a beach clean of Greenaleigh Sand, near Minehead, on Saturday, July 6, while Sustainable Wootton Courtenay is staging one on Dunster Beach on Sunday, July 7.

Greenaleigh Sand, one-and-a-half miles from Minehead, is Exmoor’s most easterly beach, where lots of ocean debris is washed up by high tides and strong onshore winds.

A beach clean last August removed nearly 24 stone of debris, including 150 plastic bottles and large amounts of fishing line, nets, and ropes.

Litter can be seen on Greenaleigh Beach, near Minehead, where a clean-up is being organised.
Litter can be seen on Greenaleigh Beach, near Minehead, where a clean-up is being organised. PHOTO: Plastic Free Exmoor. ( )

The Greenaleigh clean, taking place from 9.30 am to 1 pm, is part of the Surfers Against Sewage ‘Million Mile Clean’ campaign and is supported by Exmoor National Park Authority.

Volunteers will meet in Minehead before walking to Greenaleigh and cleaning the pebble ridge above the beach.

Anybody who would like to join the activity should email Plastic Free Exmoor at [email protected] for information and to book their place.

Sustainable Wootton Courtenay (SWC) spokesperson Ruth Walker said: “The Marine Conservation Society stated that 385 litter items were found per 100 metres of beach surveyed at last year’s Great British Beach Clean.”

Ms Walker said SWC members would be doing their bit to improve Dunster Beach on July 7 by cleaning it from 10 am to 11 am.

Anybody who wants to join the SWC event should email

[email protected] or call 07775 743571 for details.