CONSERVATION chiefs have sent a rallying cry for volunteers to help tidy up Suffolk’s coastline.

The national Beachwatch Big Weekend is happening on September 15 and 16 and organisers are hoping that people turn out in force to do their bit.

According to latest figures the amount of rubbish littering coastlines is on the increase - creating unsightly blots on the landscape and also proving potentially hazardous for wildlife and members of the public.

The Beachwatch Big Weekend is spearheaded by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and is the largest national coastal clean-up and survey undertaken within the UK and Europe.

Here in Suffolk it is co-ordinated by the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB),

Last year 694 volunteers took part in Beachwatch events across the county - between them collecting almost 1,000kg of litter, comprising more than 38,500 individual pieces of rubbish.

Lynn Allen, co-ordinator of the scheme and countryside officer with Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB, encouraged people to sign up.

“Our coastline is such an important part of our identity in Suffolk, and local people are really passionate about taking positive action to make our beaches cleaner and safer for people and wildlife alike,” she said. “We want to build on the fantastic work undertaken by our volunteers last year, and make Suffolk’s contribution to the Beachwatch Big Weekend the largest yet.”

The Beachwatch Big Weekend is the UK’s contribution to the International Coastal Clean-Up in which more than 80 countries take part each year.

For more information or to find out how to take part in the event contact Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB Unit on 01394 384948.