A group of students has set out to clean up their Oxford campus and neighbouring streets.

More than 100 young people from Oxford Brookes University are hoping to clean up the image of students living in Headington and East Oxford, by joining the OxClean Spring Clean, which runs from March 14-16.

Brookes students' union president Antoinette Kyuchukova said the litter picking would extend far beyond the university's campuses to take in neighbouring streets - including stretches of London, Cowley and Divinity Roads. The president believes the event could go a long way towards sweeping away critical views about students living in the area.

Competitions are being planned to make it a fun day for students taking part. Members of the university art department are also to be enlisted to create waste inspired sculptures.

Ms Kyuchukova, who will be acting as the Spring Clean project leader at Brookes, said: "I think OxClean will give students the chance to get over the message that at Brookes we want to have a positive impact on the local community.

"We will be trying to cover the campus and local roads and also hope to introduce a bit of fun on the day. Maybe with prizes for the heaviest bags or most peculiar items found.

"We also plan to work with the university to see if we can get staff involved. I already go along to listen to what is being said at meetings of local residents' groups.

"The relationship between the university and residents has moved a long way over the last couple of years."

An additional 40 students will be cleaning up the area around the university's Wheatley campus, even though OxClean is focused on getting volunteers to clean up areas in Oxford.

Residents' associations, youth groups, colleges, restaurants and pubs are all being invited to join two hour litter picks.

The clean up is being backed by the Oxford Mail's sister paper The Oxford Times and run by the Oxford Civic Society and Oxford City Council. Those volunteering can nominate a local street park, playground, industrial estate, town square or public open space. As well as selecting a site, each group will be responsible for recruiting volunteers, and organising the collection of litter and some of the equipment that may be needed, such as gloves.