RESIDENTS in Banbury are playing their part in cleaning up their neighbourhoods.

In Neithrop and Hardwick householders have been helping Cherwell District Council identify problem areas.

The council's "cleaner greener" team visited 2,700 homes in the two areas and spoke to more than 850 residents.

As a result, 15 fly-tips were identified and cleared, 116 residents asked for bulky waste collections from their homes, and 12 abandoned vehicles were taken away.

And 143 residents volunteered to help with a litter pick being organised for October.

Kieron Mallon, the council's executive member for the environment, said: "We've given residents a chance to identify problems and we provided extra staff to tackle them."

  • The "cleaner greener" campaign aims to build on the success of Cherwell's recycling scheme, and the Banbury clear-up blitz follows a successful effort in Kidlington.