A keen cyclist is taking action to protect Sidmouth’s picturesque countryside by rallying residents to help clean up the area.

Lois Kelly is looking for volunteers to pick up a bin bag on Sunday, April 17, and join her to spruce up roads and pathways.

The retired Exeter College lecturer wrote to the Herald last week to say she was ‘appalled’ by the debris she spotted on a ride past the Bowd Inn towards Ottery St Mary.

“It’s such a lovely area, why spoil it?” said Lois. “Bicycling gives you an opportunity to see so much of the picturesque East Devon countryside which we are so lucky to live in.

“It is so pleasant to look over the hedges at the scenery and enjoy wildflower verges, but cycling the other day I was just appalled by the amount of metal and plastic cans and general debris.

“A lot of income is generated through tourists, people coming to the hotels and spending money in the town. If there is rubbish, they won’t want to come back.”

The clean-up on Sunday will begin from the postbox in Fortescue Road and carry on to Salcombe Hill Road on Sunday between 9.30am and noon.

It will finish at Manor Road car park when East Devon District Council workers will pick up the rubbish bags.

Lois said: “I pick up litter on Salcombe Hill, but wonder if we could put group activity into action. It is always fun to join a group.

“Sidmouth in Bloom already has litter-picking in its aims for this year. We hope to get a group together to do Salcombe Hill Road.”

Lois, 66, is hoping to borrow bags, day glow jackets and litter pickers from the council and said volunteers can bring their own rubber gloves.

Lois also has plans to tackle litter left in Station Road, Bulverton Road and up towards the Bowd Inn.

If you would like to join the clean-up, or suggest roads to be targeted, call Lois on 01395 577038.