RESIDENTS from all areas and different backgrounds in Bradford East joined together yesterday for a huge effort as part of the Great Bradford Spring Clean.

Bradford Council officer Ishaq Shafiq confirmed that it was officially "Bradford's biggest ever spring clean", with around 450 bags of rubbish collected and over 12 tonnes of other waste, like furniture, shifted.

The operation was centred around Barkerend and it began at 10am at the junction of Prospect Road and Falmouth Avenue.

Other streets involved in the huge clean up included Binnie Street, Barlow Street, Wapping Road and Harewood Street. Gloves, litter pickers and bags were provided and the epic count of the bags took place at 3pm.

Mr Shafiq said the operation took in around 15-20 streets, backstreets, walkways and park areas.

The spring clean was done in partnership with CommunityWorks and local faith groups

It involved an eclectic mix of Eastern Europeans, African and Asian people, as well as white British residents. There were over 120 different people helping.

Probation services also came out to assist with the clean up, trimming hedges and grass verges.

Mr Shafiq enthused: "It's fantastic to see such diversity coming together.

"There were people of different ages, neighbourhoods and backgrounds all wanting to provide something for their community."

They are not finished there though. There are another 10 events taking place between tomorrow and Thursday, as Bradford East aims to "clean up its act".

Even more requests than that are being made each day from residents and partners but for now the other ‘Spring Cleans’ taking place this coming week in Bradford East are:

Monday, April 15:

10am: Percival Street area litter pick

10am-1pm: Back of Westfield Terrace and Barmby Road

Tuesday, April 16:

10am-12pm: Marshfield Place litter pick

12pm: Rockwell Centre area tidy up

12.30pm-3pm: Parkway litter pick

4pm-6pm: pick and BBQ in Attock Park

Wednesday, April 17:

10am: Upper Mosscar Street and surrounding area litter pick

10am-1pm: Paley Road litter pick

Thursday, April 18:

10am: back of Woodhalls litter pick

1pm: Greenhill Lane area litter pick