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Litter-picking 'addict' seeks help to clean city

John Devine/BBC Mark Fishpool, 68, has a black beanie hat on with some grey hair and sideburns visible. He is wearing a hi-viz orange jacket with a grey jumper underneath, and red gloves. He is holding a litter grabber in one hand and a black bin liner in the other and there is a hedge behind him,John Devine/BBC
Mark Fishpool says he will sometimes spend up to 10 hours a day collecting litter and rubbish around his home city

A man who says he was brought up to be neat and tidy is appealing for more members to get "hands-on" and help him keep his city free of litter.

Mark Fishpool, 68, was born and bred in Peterborough and says he has a lifelong love of keeping things spick and span.

The Pride in Peterborough Community Association Facebook group he set up in 2023 has over 700 members.

Mr Fishpool, who sometimes spends up to 10 hours a day picking up rubbish, said: "It is very addictive."

Mark Fishpool A residential area of Peterborough with a broken wooden fence with graffiti on, there is a grassy verge area, with a tree on but rubbish is strewn around it and near the fence, there is also a smashed wooden chair and some metal silver piping just discarded near it.Mark Fishpool
Mr Fishpool says he can't bear to see a mess and gets so much satisfaction when an area is spruced up

He said his wife even joined him on his litter-picking trips.

"It's a bit like going out on a date. She'll say 'Shall we pop out and tidy up for a bit?'", he said.

On his fondness for tidiness, he said: "When I was growing up we had an auntie. I suppose you could say she was houseproud.

"If she gave me a biscuit, I was always petrified of dropping crumbs. If I did, she'd be on it like a shot. She couldn't bear any mess, so it's rubbed off on me, I think."

John Devine/BBC Mark Fishpool, 68, has a black beany hat on with some grey hair and side burns visible. He is wearing a Hi-Viz orange jacket with a grey jumper underneath, he has red gloves and is holding a litter grabber in one hand and a black bin liner in the other, there is a hedge in front of him, he is collecting plastic bottles, paper cups and crisp packets from a grassy are near a dual-carriageway.John Devine/BBC
Mr Fishpool said he wanted to do something about all the litter strewn on verges near road junctions

Mr Fishpool said when he retired, he noticed the city was looking "dirty".

"When I'm out and about and I see somewhere that we previously cleaned a month or two back and it has had more rubbish dumped I think 'How dare they mess my road up? I have adopted these roads - they're mine,'" he said.

"It's the same as if someone comes to your home and they drop crumbs and make a mess; most people can't wait to get the vacuum cleaner out and get it all tidied up."

Mark Fishpool Three people collecting rubbish and litter in a residential street in Peterborough. There is housing behind them and grass verges and trees near the road junction. One person is wearing a high-visibility yellow tabard and the others are in dark clothing. Mark Fishpool
Mr Fishpool said when he saw litter on an area he had previously cleared, he thought "How dare they mess my road up?"

Angus Ellis, Peterborough City Council's Labour cabinet member for environment and transport, said the council was "fully committed" to cleaning up litter and fly-tipping and encouraged residents to help, either by taking part in organised litter- picks or reporting incidents.

"As part of our work to keep Peterborough clean, we hope to announce details shortly of a series of litter-picks being held in March and April to coincide with the Great British Spring Clean, following on from a successful similar initiative last year," he saud.

"We thank and support on-going litter-picks carried out by volunteers like Mark Fishpool, Peterborough Litter Wombles and others but would urge them all to stay safe.

"The council does not support litter-picks on roads with speed limits in excess of 30mph and would ask residents to check our website which has details on how to carry out litter-picks safely."

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