As lockdown eases, there has been a ‘dramatic’ rise in the amount of litter dropped at beauty sites across the county.

Mike White and his wife, Carolyn, from Bromham, went to Cherhill Monument last weekend and over the course of a 90-minute walk collected a pile of rubbish including dog poo bags and beer bottles.

And said the litter problem has definitely got worse since rules on going out eased..

Mike, 80, said: “We've seen increased amounts of litter and have been taking a bag and gloves with us to pick stuff up.

“We filled a supermarket plastic bag with stuff around Oliver’s Castle 10 days ago.

“It’s distressing to see the carelessness with which some people treat the environment, which is already under stress.”

Malmesbury resident Ben Thornbury said there has been a ‘dramatic’ rise in litter at beauty spots.

He spent 20 minutes picking up rubbish from around Daniel’s Well in the town.

He said: “It endangers livestock and animals and makes people think 'well what a disgusting place to be' and they might not even come back.

“Not only at Daniel’s Well but across the town. In certain hotspot areas where a lot of people hang out and over this barbed wire fencing along Hobbes Close alleyway, there is a build up of cans and bottles.”

Meanwhile, Highways England has joined forces with councils to tackle litter on the country’s roadsides, pumping £80,000 into an initiative to help keep the south west beautiful by installing bins and signage in laybys.