Couple spend 30 days cleaning 30 beaches - and spend five days on Northumberland coastline

As part of the national Surfers Against Sewage campaign, which is aiming to clean one million miles of coastline by 2030, couple Jonny Leeding and Alice Earnes are spending 30 days cleaning up 30 beaches across the east coast.

The clean-ups started on February 20 in Bamburgh, where the pair and 15 volunteers from the area collected around 10 kilos of waste, including food packets, cigarette butts and fishing hooks from the sandy stretch.

The following day, the couple were joined by 25 volunteers on Alnmouth beach where a similar amount of waste was found in just a few hours.

Alice and Jonny are inviting people to join them as they continue their Northumberland clean-up. Today (February 22) they are in Warkworth, tomorrow they are at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and on Friday they will be in Blyth. Each clean begins at 10am from the beach car park.

Speaking about the experience so far, Jonny said: "We both love being by the coast, the space and the beauty of it, and we’re both troubled by the amount of plastic pollution and litter that exists on every coastline.

"By clearing up the areas, you’re protecting an area that’s great for mental health, helping the planet and also protecting wildlife that may be injured as a result of the litter.

"What we’re seeing already is how great it’s been for people to come along and get involved with it. People have said that this is making them think of the space that they’re in and despite litter not being what you first notice on a beach like Bamburgh, it is still very much there. It is also inspiring kids, so that’s very exciting. If we leave some sort of legacy that would be great.

"I think if everybody takes a bit of responsibility and doesn’t drop litter, or if you see some to pick it up, the beaches would be much clearer. It’s that saying that many hands make light work.”

The pair are providing volunteers with litter pickers and reusable litter bags for every clean.

To follow the progress, follow @30days30beaches on Instagram.