Ten-year-old Luton girl finds 30-year old crisp packet whilst litter picking

A Walkers Crisp packet bearing a Keep Britain Tidy logo from 1990 has been found in Hayes Woods on Stopsley Common by a ten-year-old girl litter picker.

It was just one of several vintage crisp packets found by Catherine Kirkland and her mother, Siobhan Starrs, whilst litter picking. Many of the littered items proved to be much older than Catherine!

The schoolgirl has been picking litter in March in order to clean up her local environment, raise awareness about the problem of plastic pollution and raise funds for Dementia UK in memory of her great grandparents.

The pair have been using their exercise walks to fill large bin bags with rubbish, focusing on Stopsley village, Castle Park, Hayes Woods on Stopsley Common, the woods on Bradgers Hill and Leagrave Park.

They were shocked to find the source of the River Lea at Leagrave Park, clogged with plastic bottles and other discarded items.

Siobhan said: “I find the situation in Hayes Wood on Stopsley Common particularly distressing. Plastic litter is embedded in the leaf litter, amongst broken bottles and rusty cans, it must be dangerous to the local wildlife."

Catherine has raised over £240 so far for Dementia UK in memory of her great grandparents, who both suffered from dementia at the end of their lives.

Catherine said it is easy for everyone to make a difference to their local environment: “Next time you go on a walk, try to bring a plastic bag and some gloves and pick up some litter,” she said.

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