PARISH councillors are calling for litter pickers to help keep their village clean.

Complaints have been made to the authority in Middleton St George, near Darlington, about rubbish being dumped in the water park.

The local model boat club has suggested putting in a skip, but the idea has been rejected by councillors, who want the borough council to allocate litter pickers.

Councillor Doris Jones said a bin would simply become a magnet for people getting rid of garden rubbish.

Chairman Councillor Bill Oliver said: "The dog bin has been surrounded by bags of rubbish and the fisherman I spoke to said it was better to leave it at a collection point than up at the reservoir.

"There has been a suggestion that the litter picker could go up there if he has time."

Coun Jones said she had asked the borough council to allow the litter picker to put in an extra ten hours, but was told that was unlikely.

It was agreed to meet the collector to find out if his rota would allow him to put in extra hours.