FROM bras, thongs and dirty nappies to old money, sex toys and some creepy looking dolls – litter pickers in Radcliffe really do find the craziest things.

Radcliffe Litter Pickers have collected 1,500 bags of rubbish since it was set up in January, even with a two-month break due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Members of the new group, now 450-strong on Facebook, regularly find underwear, odd shoes and drug paraphernalia dumped around Radcliffe.

They have also found old railings, shop signs, trolleys and fire extinguishers in the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal which flows through the town.

Gill Smith, one of four members who runs the group, says Bolton Street, off Bolton Road, has become a problematic patch.

But the group also litter picks around Red Bank Road, Outwood Park and around Ainsworth – and the list of their findings can be quite surprising.

They recently collected 150 bags from a visit to Withins Reservoir where litter pickers say they found hundreds of socks scattered around the beauty spot.

Mrs Smith said one member even spotted a sex toy on one of their trips.

She said: “We’ve found shopping trolleys, an old fence, a radiator, cans and bottles by the thousands. Absolutely anything. I’m surprised we’ve not found a body yet.”

“We find dolls and toys and they all look like Chucky. One litter picker has collected them and now keeps them all in his shed.”

The long list of fly-tipping found by the litter pickers in Radcliffe includes bras, thongs, underpants, shorts, odd shoes, dummies, hammers, saws, knives, dirty nappies, sofas, chairs, mattresses, bikes, wheels, hub caps, car parts, needles and other drug paraphernalia.

They have also reported finding sackfuls of dog poo in bags hanging in trees as well as traffic cones, lottery signs, spectacles, cutlery and balloons.

Members of the group, of which there are 50 regulars, now have their own high-vis jackets sponsored by Brightside Brewing Company and provided at a discounted price by V4G Workwear – both of which are local firms.

Once the litter is collected from their weekly litter picking trips, they take photos of the rubbish and send them to the council who collect it.

A Bury Council spokesman said: “We condemn fly-tipping. There’s no excuse for it. It ruins the environment and costs local taxpayers money to clear it up.

“We urge anyone who witnesses fly-tipping or has information about who is responsible to report it and we will take action against the perpetrators.

“We would also urge residents and businesses to use licensed waste disposal operators.”

To join Radcliffe Litter Pickers, search for group’s name on Facebook or email litterpickersradcliffe@gmail.com.