TEENAGE litter louts have been blamed for turning a cemetery path into a rubbish-strewn disgrace.

Bingley resident Brandon Bisby was horrified by the discarded drinks cans, crisp packets, sweet wrappers and food debris dropped beside the wall of a footpath leading to Bailey Hills cemetery beside Bingley Grammar School.

Business journalist and writer Mr Bisby wrote to the school and sent photos of the filthy walkway, saying: "You can see how disgusting this area has become and I believe it is down to your pupils dropping litter instead of disposing of it properly.

"It is shocking to think that this pathway leads to a place where people are laid to rest.

"You should take action now to clean this area, hopefully using pupils to perform the task, which may in turn help them to learn some responsibility about littering and how to represent Bingley Grammar School when not in class."

Mr Bisby, 45, said when he was a pupil at Bradford Grammar School, youngsters were drilled in the importance of such good public behaviour, well before environmental matters were on any curriculum.

"We were taught the importance of good manners, how to behave in public and certainly that litter always goes into a bin.

"It's not just down to the school, the parents are also responsible and there is a general problem with littering in the wider society.

"I felt I had to contact the school as while a walk with my 9-year-old nephew before Christmas he was really shocked because the litter along the path was so stark and horrid."

Bingley Grammar School deputy head teacher Deano Wright said he knew of the litter issue and said the path was also a meeting point for young people from different schools after lessons.

"As a school we are aware of the litter problems in the surrounding area and Bingley as a whole.

"Taking pride in our community has always been important to the school and is promoted and encouraged in assemblies and during lesson time.

"The litter identified has gathered in an area frequently used by the general public, as well as our students, which is close to the school.

"This area had already been recognised by the school as in need of clearing and we are planning to tidy it on behalf of the community.

"At the beginning of the month the decision was taken to wait for drier conditions before tackling the site," Mr Wright said.

Ward Councillor David Heseltine, (Con, Bingley) commended the school on its positive attitude.

"We all need to pull together to keep our communities tidy and also need to deter the miscreants in the first place," he said

Councillor Mark Shaw (Con, Bingley) added: “Littering along that path has been a constant problem and I’m glad that the school is going to do something about it. It’s nice to see them taking responsibility.

“Rubbish on the cemetery path is an issue which is always being brought up at Shipley Area Committee and we’ve all had lots of emails about it.”