Beach cleaners to tackle plantation litter

The charity has focussed on preventing rubbish reaching the island's coastline

A charity dedicated to beach cleaning is heading back inland as part of a drive to prevent litter reaching the sea.

Beach Buddies will be hosting its weekly clean-up in Archallagan plantation, which is east of Foxdale, on Sunday.

While the charity has hosted a handful of other sessions away from the shoreline in recent months, it marks the first time it has ventured into the plantation.

Founder Bill Dale said the plantation was a "beautiful place" and the event would "help it stay that way and hopefully set an example to visitors to keep it that way".

Protecting wildlife

Mr Dale said 90% of rubbish which ends up washed up on beaches started away from the shore.

He said that the only way it could get to the seas and on to beaches was through humans dropping item that were then blown or washed into a river before going out to sea.

"Any rubbish we collect at Archallagan this weekend is being gathered before it gets a chance to choke our oceans and harm wildlife and the environment," Mr Dale said.

As there were currently a large number of birds nesting on the island's beaches, it was a "good time" to move inland to avoid disturbing the birds.

The meeting point for volunteers is the plantation's main car park, just outside Foxdale, with the clear-up starting at 10:30 BST.