BUCKHURST recreation ground is looking much smarter thanks to a hard working team of young litter busters.

A group of 30 junior street wardens from the Parks and Walcot area armed themselves with litter pickers and black bin liners and set to work in the sunshine yesterday.

The wardens, aged from eight to 14, hit the Rec at 11am and an hour-and-a-half later had filled 10 bags full of rubbish.

One of the juniors who took part, 12-year-old Kelly Estarbrook, of Buckhurst Crescent, said she was surprised by how much litter there was.

"Litter picking is good because we are cleaning up the environment," she said. "We are all working together to make it a better place."

The wardens split into two teams, with each starting at an opposite end of the field. After ridding the Rec of rubbish the children enjoyed a barbecue and spent the afternoon playing five-a-side football and volleyball.

The clean up marked the launch of a summer of activities for the junior street wardens.

On August 8 they are to visit RAF Lyneham air base to see some of the planes and eat an army meal in the mess hall.