Maenporth beach was picked clean last weekend as volunteers from Falmouth and the surrounding area joined forces and tidied together.

As part of an initiative led by Marks and Spencer, helpers young and old, including university students were joined by school pupils as they cleared rubbish from the beach, documenting it as they went for the Marine Conservation Society.

Dan Jenkin, from Marks and Spencer, said: "It's going quite well. We've got a class of 30 from Devoran School, and about 20 members of the public who have come along.

"At first look there was not much litter at all but once you start delving you can find quite a lot."

"Everyone seems to be enjoying it."

Fred, a pupil collecting rubbish as part of the group from Devoran School, said: "We're sorting out the rubbish, to stop pollution.

"Seagulls and other fish are dying from eating rubbish because they think it's food."

The store has been working with the charity, which organises similar events across the country and collects data to help lobby government and fight marine pollution, although Thursday's event was the first time a beach clean had been carried out at Maenporth.