On reading Mr Carl Touhig’s statements in the Chronicle April 23, I find the suggestion that country dwelling folk should collect litter in the town and leave council workers to pick it up in country lanes an extremely futile point.

No one picks our lanes apart from the residents who give their valuable time and energy to do so. It’s a non stop job: the amount that is thrown is disgusting.

Is Mr Touhig saying the local uthority is going to employ bodies to cover this time consuming job on our lanes? Or maybe they are going to bring back the role for a person who would be responsible for a certain area, looking after the verges, drains and potholes etc as in days gone by?

I took up litter picking following retirement from LA nine years ago when bottle returns amongst other suggestions were discussed then, but we seem no further forward.

I wonder how it is many other countries keep their roadsides clear? A few years ago we were invited to a reception at the House of Commons thanking litter pickers from the whole of the UK. This included people who combed beaches and waterways , also urban areas and country lanes.

Whilst I understand the difficulty in catching people, I think, like all in life, the results of these actions are better explained to our young.