Beach clean to include Isle of Man for first time

The Isle of Man will feature in a major beach cleaning drive this weekend for the first time.

The Big Channel Islands Beach Clean - which takes place in Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark - is being extended in its seventh year to include the Isle of Man.

Volunteers across the British Crown Dependencies are being encouraged to do their bit to tackle pollution.

Bill Dale, founder of Beach Buddies on the Isle of Man, said: "Islands understand the problem of beach pollution more than anyone else because they have to live with it every day."

Mr Dale said he hoped the weekend would foster greater links with the Channel Islands.

"We are all in this together and they have got similar problems to what we have," he added.

"We all have to take collective responsibility."

Mr Dale said he was expecting hundreds of people to take part on the Isle of Man.

Volunteers are being encouraged to pick their favourite local beach and let organisers know where they go, how many participated and the weight of the rubbish they ultimately collected.

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