THE director of a community action group is calling for pensioners to join the fight to keep the borough’s streets tidy.

It comes after a clean up rubbish from Minster Cliffs by Swale Community Action Project (SCAP) with Swale Borough Council and Swale Housing Association.

The team spent two hours helping people in the ward get rid of unwanted items from their homes.

Gordon Henderson, director of SCAP, said local authorities should pay pensioners to spend a few hours a week clearing weeds and keeping their streets clean.

He said: “The clean up itself was a worthwhile exercise during which we collected loads of large unwanted household items that would have been difficult for residents to get rid of easily.

“I think we have to take a new approach to cleaning up our neighbourhoods. One way might be for local authorities to employ pensioners for a few hours each week to keep their own street and alley clean and free of weeds.

“I am sure there are pensioners out there who would be delighted to earn a few extra quid and at the same time keep their street clean and tidy.”