THE call has gone out for volunteers for Addingham Civic Society's annual village clean-up which is taking place at the end of next month.

Bradford Council's cleansing department has already chipped in with the offer of a free skip or van to take away the rubbish.

Organiser Alison Killingbeck praised council officers for their help after they also offered to supply 30 pairs of gloves, six packs of refuse sacks and to lend ten litter-picking sticks, which are useful for people who have trouble bending down easily.

Last year the council came under fire for charging for the rent of a skip, but it was later explained as a misunderstanding and the money was returned.

Organisers are hoping that a repeat of one incident during last year's clean-up does not happen. A motorist, spotting the work going on, opened his car window and threw a pile of litter out. The volunteers were too shocked to take his number before the car sped off. Shortly afterwards a full litter sack was discovered slashed open and the contents strewn all over the floor.

Miss Killingbeck said that the volunteers would meet in the Memorial Hall car park at 9am on Saturday, March 23.

"If anyone else wants to come, the more the merrier," said Miss Killingbeck. Anyone who wants to volunteer to help should ring (01943) 830941 after 6pm on weekdays.

Councillor Anne Hawkes-worth, Bradford's head of

environment, said: "The

residents of Addingham do an excellent job cleaning up their village and we are more than happy to provide the necessary tools to assist them in keeping the area in which they live tidy and clean.

"We encourage people who undertake this kind of work, as part of a council initiative to encourage community clean-ups, and a budget is available to all community groups in the area who wish to organise one."