THE Liphook in Bloom team joined forces with Scouts, Girlguiders, the Women’s Institute, Bohunt School, parish councillors and myriad volunteers for the national ’Clean for the Queen’ campaign.

Despite freezing weather conditions and some heavy snow flurries, 34 volunteers turned out on Saturday morning followed by 45 more on Mothering Sunday, who between them managed to fill a mountain of bags with litter from the around the parish, including Bramshott, Passfield and Conford.

The turnout proved to be a testament to the community spirit of Liphook and Bramshott with residents of all ages demonstrating that they care.

Large amounts of litter were also cleared from the areas surrounding Sainsbury’s supermarket and the village’s two junctions on the A3.

Items such as old road signs, take away food containers, drinks cans and bottles, plastic bags and even an old abandoned bicylce were gathered up, ready for collection by East Hampshire District Council on Monday morning.

In Bloom stalwart Philip Jordan said: “London Road, Portsmouth Road, Longmoor Road, Station Road, the Millennium Center Grounds, the Village Green and Bramshott are now much clearer of litter thanks to the volunteers willingness to smarten up our community.

“Now, how to keep litter away? All rather obvious to those who care, but for those more forgetful or less inclined to think before they drop – please try harder to find a bin or take it home.”

More than 20 communities in East Hampshire got a spring clean at the weekend as volunteers got behind the Clean for the Queen campaign.

EHDC and its contractor, The Landscape Group, provided litter-pickers, bin bags and hi-vis jackets and disposed of the collected rubbish after the event.

Clean for the Queen has been launched to celebrate Her Majesty’s 90th birthday in June.