VOLUNTEERS and Durham Countryside Rangers collected 20 bin bags of rubbish as city woodland was given a spring clean.

The Friends of Pelaw Wood, in Gilesgate, Durham, held a fun day on Saturday and invited local people along to help with their work.

As well as removing rubbish, largely beer cans, soft drink bottles and the odd road sign, they carried out improvements to the footpaths through the site.

"We had a good day and a good turnout, about 30 people,'' said Roger McAdam, of the Friends.

"We built some steps up to the new path we opened in November and put in way markers. That's a tremendous move forward.

"We had a competition for clearing up rubbish and the prizes were a bird book for the young people and a bottle of wine for the adults.

"The things that people carry to the wood to dump are amazing. There was a road sign that had been up in Gilesgate."

A display of the Friends' work in the wood and their plans to win nature reserve designation for the wood was held in the nearby Vane Tempest Hall.

The group, which plans to hold similar events in the future, has 32 members, which Mr McAdam said was pleasing.

People can now find out about Pelaw Wood and the Friends' activities on the Internet by logging on to the website pelaw-wood.org.uk