A community pulled together with their local McDonald's team for a Community Clear Up day to spruce up the banks of the River Chelmer.

The McDonald's team, led by Ahmet Mustafa took on the cleaning challenge on Saturday.

The event attracted volunteers from a number of local community members and groups including Mayor Robert Villa, the local Labour Party, Chelmsford Sea Cadets, Essex Police, Chelmsford Council Workers, Chelmsford Cycle Club, Chelmsford Rowing Club, and even divers.

A well-loved area within the local community, the river banks and the river itself often get cluttered with litter and debris and are often in need of a tidy up.

McDonald’s has been involved in the river clear up project now for over two and a half years and sponsors the bins surrounding the area.

Mr Mustafa said: “It was great to see my team and influential members of the community join forces on Community Clear Up day and smarten up Chelmsford. 

"I’d like to thank everyone who volunteered and for their hard work - it’s vital that we all do as much as we can to constantly improve and maintain up-keep our local community areas, whether that’s through regular litter-picks in our local area or getting involved in larger activities like this.”

Local Government Minister Kris Hopkins said: “McDonald’s is a reputable retailer where tackling litter is concerned, doing its bit by going out there and cleaning the areas around its restaurants and across local community areas.

"I am delighted it is supporting Community Clear Up Day, getting behind this nationwide spring clean, bringing people together to take pride in their area and ending the litter scourge.”

Phil Barton, Chief Executive of environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, said: ‘I am delighted that McDonald’s is supporting the Community Clear Up Day.

"This is a part of their much wider commitment to carry out multiple daily clean ups around their restaurants, and their support for the Love Where You Live campaign, which involves hundreds of bigger, community clean-ups every year.

"As signatories to Keep Britain Tidy’s Litter Prevention Commitment, they are setting a great example of what businesses can and should be doing, and we urge other companies to follow their example."