More than 20 bagfuls of rubbish were picked up from gutters, pavements and verges by a happy band of Kick Start Fakenham volunteers during a two-hour scour of the town.

It was a rousing launch to a series of community-minded initiatives organised by the newly-formed group led by local enthusiast Rachel Seretny (24).

She had initiated the enterprise on social networking website Facebook back in February and was amazed when hundreds of people responded to her plea to help revive the fortunes of Fakenham following the closure of Woolworths and the Crown Hotel. When residents complained about the scruffiness of the town at a meeting in April, the Kick Start stalwarts determined to do something about it.

And what better time than the final Saturday of National Volunteers Week.

Two dozen of them got together in the market square before setting off in teams with their bags at the ready.

Ms Seretny said: “There was an unbelievable amount of rubbish.

“It was quite shocking really with some very odd items including a pair of glasses, socks, a tent and even a road sign.”

l Kick Start Fakenham plans a Big Lunch on Sunday, July 19 as part of national picnic day.