Litter pickers bag 25-year-old crisp packet

The packet features former football stars Michael Owen and Gary Lineker

A crisp packet from a quarter of a century ago has been unearthed during a litter pick.

Staff from social enterprise Better and West Oxfordshire District Council took to the streets of Witney, Oxfordshire, as part of the Great British Spring Clean.

One of the oldest items they discovered was a Walkers "Cheese and Owen" crisp packet from 1999, featuring former football stars Michael Owen and Gary Lineker.

Lidia Arciszewska, the council's environment lead, said it was "staggering" that it had lasted so long.

The volunteers collected 12 bags of litter from Witan Way and the surrounding streets in Witney

The packet was said to be "remarkably well-preserved" but also a "stark reminder of just how long litter lasts in the environment".

The litter-picking volunteers said they found it alongside an assortment of metal drink cans, bottles, sweet wrappers and cigarette paraphernalia.

They said they had also collected a large quantity of other crisp packets.

The group started their clean from the Windrush Leisure Centre as part of this year’s annual litter-picking event, which runs from 15 to 31 March.

Ms Arciszewska said "retro rubbish" was still harming the environment.

"It’s staggering to think that a crisp packet dropped today could still be in our environment in the year 2100 but other commonly littered items are expected to last much longer," she explained.

"So, whether it’s picking up a few bits or a few bags, we’re encouraging everyone to get involved and make their pledge to pick for this year’s campaign.”

In total, the volunteers collected 12 bags of litter from Witan Way and the surrounding streets.