Enthusiastic young people from the Christian Hope Project took it on themselves to pick up cans, crisp packets and cigarette ends around Wellingborough's Hemmingwell in a bid to send a defiant message to the rest of the community.

They hope their action will encourage adults to bin their own litter and pick up any litter left on the pavement.

Hope Project chief executive Simon Trundle, who has run a week of activities to engage children in the environment, added that the event showed young people could set an example to older generations.

Maria Thomas, from the Hemmingwell Action Group, who helped out with the litter pick yesterday, said: "This is local people seeing a local problem and coming up with a local solution.

"They are trying to improve their neighbourhood and make it a nicer place to live."

After the children filled dozens of bin liners, council refuse workers took away the rubbish and recorded how much had been collected.

The litter pickers paid particular attention to cigarette ends, after it was reported by the Evening Telegraph that more cigarette ends had been found in Wellingborough since the start of the smoking ban.

Tammy Lamont, 13, who was in charge of collecting cigarette ends, said: "I want to help people stop smoking because lots of young people are taking it up."

Her friend Sarah Piper, 14, added: "Everywhere you go there are lots of cigarette ends. It is disgusting."

Meanwhile Craig Wiseman, 13, said: "I did this because I wanted to help out in the community, clean it up and take more responsibility for the environment."

Reece Parillon, 11, added: "I like seeing tidy streets.

"I hope that after this people will pick up litter when they see it and put it in the bin."