A community is being invited to come together to clean up a Bury St Edmunds estate as part of an international day of action.

World Cleanup Day takes place on September 15 and St Edmundsbury borough councillor Max Clarke is organising an event on the Howard estate in the town to coincide with the day.

Residents will be able to enjoy a free barbecue on the Tollgate playing fields at the back of the community centre from midday through until 4pm before carrying out a mass litter pick.

Mr Clarke said: “The estate has seen its reputation unfairly tarnished in recent weeks but I live here and know that the community is full of good, honest people of all ages and backgrounds who care for each other and love where they live.

“After I organised a series of very successful community barbecues during the World Cup, I was talking to a nearby neighbour who suggested doing something to encourage our diverse community to get behind World Cleanup Day. We’ll enjoy some good food together, then clean up our estate.

“I know many local residents who pick up litter on a daily basis. It is a social problem that isn’t unique to this estate or town, but I believe that we have a strong community spirit and that we can lead the way by working together, getting out and doing something about it.”

Mr Clarke is using some of his locality funding to support the event.

World Cleanup Day on September 15 is an international civic movement that will see millions of volunteers in 150 countries unite for a single day to clean up their part of the World. More on this can be found at www.worldcleanupday.orgAs part of its Love Where You Live campaign west Suffolk councils supports community groups and businesses in litter picks throughout the year by lending equipment and collecting the bags of rubbish that volunteers have collected.

To find out more about how we can support your litter pick visit www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/lwyl/arrangelitterpick.cfm