A COMMUNITY champion’s blitz on litter in a picturesque village has won him an accolade from a leading environmental charity.

Jake Fulton has been named Hero of the Month by Keep Scotland Beautiful for helping to remove rubbish in Houston.

The haul of garbage has included old baths, ironing boards and prams taken from the River Gryfe.

Jake is founder and organiser of the Houston Litter Crew - a group of residents who have collected more than 1,000 bags of litter in just over a year.

He said: “When a violent storm hit Houston a year ago, I approached the local community council for permission to use their Facebook page to advertise an idea I had to organise a clear-up.

“The response was very positive and, on March 19, 2016, the Houston Litter Crew was born.

“To date, 1,070 bags of litter have been collected from the streets of Houston and many new friendships formed between Litter Crew members. Who’d have thought that litter picking could be such a sociable event?

“I’m very grateful to Keep Scotland Beautiful for this award and I’m delighted that all volunteers that form the Houston Litter Crew are getting the recognition they so richly deserve.

“They help keep the beautiful village of Houston beautiful.”

The award is part of the national Clean Up Scotland campaign, organised by Keep Scotland Beautiful.

Nicola Turner, the charity’s community projects officer, said: “I congratulate Jake for his commitment to keeping Houston clear of litter.

“As a result of his efforts, he has managed to motivate local residents, young and old, to volunteer their time and make a significant difference to litter levels locally.

“Jake’s efforts have also had a positive impact on the wellbeing and enjoyment of Litter Crew members, helping them form new friendships, spend more time outdoors and instil pride in their local area.”

The Clean Up Scotland Hero Award is supported by Helping Hand Environmental, which provides each hero with a clean-up kit.

Anyone who would like to tackle litter in their area can visit www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/cleanupscotland.

To nominate someone for the Hero of the Month Award, visit www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/nominate-a-hero.