by Stephen Waite

The anti-littering message is being picked up by pupils at Swale schools in a new programme of art-based workshops.

Litter Angels, the environmental charity, promotes the importance of recycling and not dropping rubbish.

Its chief executive Sioux Peto has been visiting schools and was at Lansdowne on Monday.

The youngsters made posters, which reminded people not to litter, and their designs will be entered into a competition, with the best going on display at McDonald’s in Sittingbourne, which sponsors the contest.

They also created spectacular-looking fish from plastic bottles.

Sioux said: "We do a lot of talking about the problem of littering. They ask a whole list of questions, such as ‘Why aren’t there more recycling bins in streets?’ and ‘Who is responsible for street cleaning?’

"This generation is really quite fanatical about the environment, they really do care."

Sioux was due to be at Bapchild and Tonge School today and visits to Regis Manor and Murston have been lined up, as well as other schools in the borough.

Meanwhile, she was out with a group of Litter Angels litter pickers, including school children and staff and volunteers from McDonald’s, in Teynham yesterday morning.

They were clearing one of the village’s best used footpaths when the heavens opened and they had to abandon their task.