In pictures: Volunteers pick over 60 bags of litter at Chesterfield bypass – as it closes for Sparkle Walk

Lee Brassington, who is well-known in the Chesterfield area for litter-picking and charity fundraising, organised a Chesterfield bypass clean up on Saturday (June 22).

The road was closed ahead of Ashgate Hospice’s Sparkle Night Walk and Lee thought it was a great chance for residents to get together and clean up the road which was in a ‘horrendous’ state.

The litter pick has proved to be a great success – with 64 bags of litter collected alongside some bigger items including car bumpers, signs, fence posts, traffic cones, tyres, and even a bicycle wheel.

Lee said: “The bypass pick was such a success I'm super proud of the residents of Chesterfield.

"Since the Derbyshire Times shared an article about the clean up, I had lots of people getting in contact with me. I was hoping to get up to 20 people but we were more close to 50. Brilliant.

"For them to sacrifice their Saturday night to join us picking was just amazing.”

Just before the bypass closed, however, a car sped past the group and someone threw a beer can at them shouting ‘you've missed a bit’.

Lee said: “Although I didn't actually see it personally, It's such an awful thing to do and could have caused harm.”

But this one negative incident did not discourage Lee and the litter pickers – who plan to organise another A617 clean up next summer.

Lee added: “Overall, it was a fantastic result. Next year I'll be a bit more prepared for a big turn out and hopefully we could clear the whole Sparkle Walk route.”