Pupils from Mossbourne Academy joined staff from Hackney Council and local businesses for a blitz on litter in St John s Church gardens in the Narrow Way, Central Hackney on Wednesday 3 June.

They were taking part in Capital Clean Up 2009, an annual event organised by Keep Britain Tidy to tackle litter, graffiti and other eyesores in London.

The pupils joined forces with staff from McDonalds, and Primark in The Narroway and St Johns’ Gardens. Together they removed 12 bags of litter.

Their efforts follow two other Capital Clean Up events in Hackney in the same week. Thames 21 is working with local authorities to clean up stretches of the Regents Canal and worked with Council staff, local volunteers and City and Guilds to remove graffiti and pick up litter between Kingsland Basin and New North Road. This event was supported by the Co-operative Membership group.

Cllr Alan Laing, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods said: “I’d like to thank everybody who took part. The Council works hard to keep the borough clean - events like this show what can be done when people act together as responsible citizens and highlight the need for everybody to play their part.”