A CLEAN team has completed its first mission to tidy up a town.

Ruthin Tidy Town, a monthly task force of residential volunteers established by Ruthin town council earlier this year to carry out the improvement of public spaces across the town, met for their first effort on Sunday, September 16.

The group, which has nearly 50 members, took to Railway Terrace, near Well Street to clear litter, overgrown plants and weeds, and paint benches and handrails.

The group was set up following a £10,000 donation from its amenities committee, after the need for the group was established during Ruthin Future Week, a series of grassroots discussions aimed at establishing the most popular ideas to improve the town held in April.

Gavin Harris, deputy mayor of Ruthin, co-organiser of Ruthin Future Week and coordinator of the new Ruthin Tidy Town group, said: “We were very pleased to have 14 turn up for the first meet-up, and after 2 hours work clearing overgrown plants, weeding, litter picking and painting benches and handrails, we had made a very positive and noticeable difference along Railway Walks.

“The number of positive comments shows how appreciated the volunteers’ efforts have been by the wider community, and we are confident that we can create a sustainable and positive community group supported by the amenities committee going forward.”

The community effort extended further with donations of gardening equipment from numerous businesses.