A CAMPAIGN has been launched to 'Keep Keighley Clean' – and everyone is being urged to get involved.

As part of the initiative, people are also being encouraged to 'talk up' the town and take pride in the area.

Behind the venture is community project ROC Keighley, which as part of its effort has organised an hour-long litter blitz in the town centre.

Individuals, community groups and businesses are invited to take part in the session next Thursday, October 21.

People can start at a location of their choice at 10.30am. The finish will be an hour later at Church Green – and each volunteer will receive a free ice cream!

Equipment such as gloves, litter pickers and high-visibility vests will be available to borrow.

All the bags of rubbish collected will be gathered at Church Green, before they are removed by Bradford Council.

For more details and to sign-up, visit facebook.com/ROC-Keighley-106559407801184.

ROC Keighley chair, Steve Kelly, said: "This simple action will make a difference – and we think there will be plenty of bags collected!

"The amount of rubbish found discarded is horrifying, when you consider Bradford Council cleans the whole town centre early every morning.

"We have seen littering and fly-tipping surge over the past few months. It’s so important that we as a community start to turn this around and do something visible to highlight the problem."

Keighley East councillor Caroline Firth, who is on the organisation's board, encourages people unable to participate in next Thursday's session to show their support in another way.

She added: "If people can’t join us perhaps they could do just 20 minutes of litter-picking near their home, school or workplace at some other time and get involved by posting their photos on social media using the hashtag #KeepKeighleyClean and tagging in Keighley College."

Membership of ROC Keighley is open to anyone.

The steering group includes residents and national ROC director Debra Green. And among other board members are police and charity representatives, Worth Valley councillor Russell Brown, the youth service and Pride Flag project co-ordinator Sophie Powell.

Further information can be obtained by emailing debragreen@roc.uk.com.