Meet the Sunderland family setting an example in how to tackle city's litter problem

Kirsty and Gaius Dalton picking up rubbish near their Sunderland home.

A Wearside family are taking matters into their own hands by cleaning up the litter-strewn streets where they live.

The Dalton family, of Springwell in Sunderland, have been left angry at seeing rubbish left in the areas where they regularly walk.

To combat the problem, they have gone out armed with bin bags and litter pickers to deal with the situation.

Gaius Dalton picking up rubbish near his Sunderland home.

Steve Dalton, who is married to Kirsty, 37, with who he has children Tanith, 12, Raine, 10 and Gaius, eight, said: “The amount of litter that is building up these days is terrible.

“So we’ve taken it on ourselves to get some bin bags and get out there and improve things.

“Hopefully we are making a bit of a difference because the city does need looking after.”

The family are fully behind the Echo’s Clean Streets campaign, which is calling on Wearsiders to take more care of their personal rubbish and also report any incidents of fly-tipping or rubbish dumping.

Mr Dalton is originally from Scarborough and added that although his wife is a born-and-bred Mackem, he wants to see his adopted home looking the best place it can be.

“I don’t think there is enough pride in the city,” added Mr Dalton, 44.

“When you look at other places down south, you see that it is a huge problem here.

“The dog park area off Springwell Road near where we live is absolutely awful at the minute.

“There are kids out drinking their quite regularly so a lot of broken bottles are just left.

“It’s not right that families have to put up with this kind of thing.”

Anyone who sees items they think have been fly-tipped on a street or green space can contact Sunderland City Council to arrange its removal either by reporting it online at sunderland.gov.uk or by calling 0191 520 5550.