BEST selling author Bill Bryson is today launching a legal battle to clean up Clacton railway station.

Mr Bryson, president of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is using a legal mechanism called a litter abatement order in a bid to clear rubbish from the site.

As well as Clacton, the green campaigner is also seeking orders against London Bridge station; Gravesend, Kent; and Hersham, Surrey.

Mr Bryson said: “This is not a complicated or controversial issue.

“Organisations responsible for public land are required to keep it clear of litter. If they’re not taking this responsibility seriously, we all have the power to compel them to do so.

“Railway operators and Network Rail are not the only offenders, but they are responsible for far too much uncollected litter.

“The first impression for a visitor arriving in a town is often formed by their view from a train carriage, and it is a disgrace that that view is so often a degraded and dirty one that suggests a lack of care or pride in the area.”