Meet the boy, 8, making his area safer and cleaner

Jackson was worried that smashed glass in the alleyway could injure small children and animals

An eight-year-old boy was so scared smashed glass and rubbish in an alleyway near his home could hurt a young child or cut animals' paws he set about a litter-picking mission.

Jackson was determined to make the walkway, off Pooltown Road in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, "safer and cleaner".

With his mother, Leanne, in tow and armed with brooms and bin bags, he was downhearted when he realised the job was too big for two people but it prompted him to email his local MP Justin Madders, getting him on board to help.

Along with some councillors, they soon made short work of it and Jackson said he was "much happier" walking through it. He said he had now set his sights on cleaning up nearby Whitby Park.

Jackson soon realised the clean-up operation was too big a task for him and his mum to do on their own

In his email to the Ellesmere Port and Bromborough MP Jackson wrote: "I would like to keep people safe from glass and make it a nice place to go because I feel a little scared sometimes walking through there with my mum."

Leanne said: "He was determined to clean it up but when he realised it was too big a job for just us two he was so disappointed."

However, she suggested trying to get help from their MP and both mum and son were delighted to get a reply.

"When he got an email back, Jackson was just beaming," Leanne said.

Madders regularly gets involved with litter picks and he enrolled councillors Karen Shore (Central and Grange), Paul Donovan (Sutton Villages) and Bob Bisset (Central and Grange) to help Jackson and his mother.

"I'm so proud of him," said Leanne.

"He has always been caring about others and nature... and loves to help.

"He came up with the idea and was adamant [he wanted to] to make it better."

Jackson is living proof that you are never too young to make a difference, said Justin Madders MP

Jackson said it was "really good" to see the alleyway cleaned up.

He said he was pleased to receive a special headteacher's award in his school assembly for his efforts to clean up his community.

Leanne said it "boosted his confidence" and helped him to recently get voted onto his school parliament too.

Jackson said everyone can help clean up the environment no matter what their age.

"If you find mess - pick it up and find the nearest bin," he said.

Madders added: "It's great to see someone so young who cares about the environment and the place where they live."

The Labour MP added: "Jackson is living proof that you're never too young to make a difference."