Publica Group employees based in Coleford joined local volunteers to help clean up Beachley Slipway and Lydney Harbour recently.

The clean-up was part of a wider Spruce up the Severn event, coordinated by the Severn Estuary Partnership.

The Publica workers, who deliver services on behalf of four local councils, spent a combined total of 56 hours collecting 33 bin bags of rubbish, including food packaging, cans, plastics, tyres, bottles, and even car parts.

David Neudegg, Publica's managing director, said: "This is the first time that Publica has granted official leave to staff members who were keen to support a community initiative. Those who took up the offer worked extremely hard to help make a big difference at both locations. I am also grateful to the regeneration team and street wardens who co-ordinated the arrangements so well.

"The clean-up presented a great fit with Lydney Coastal Community Team's aims of improving the public realm and making the area more attractive for local people and visitors. We will now be looking for further opportunities to demonstrate our corporate responsibility across the areas we cover - Forest of Dean, the Cotswolds, Cheltenham and West Oxfordshire."