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A schoolgirl who became so fed up with litter louts in her local park decided to take action on a one-girl anti-litter drive.

Nine year-old Lucy McCormick lives in Nookside, Sunderland, and is a pupil at St Anne’s Primary School in Pennywell.

Along with her mam Leanne McCormick, Lucy regularly takes her dog Charlie to nearby King George Park.

However, she has become increasingly annoyed that lazy people, possible much older than her but with a lot less sense, are not disposing of their rubbish properly.

Lucy McCormick, nine, is so annoyed by litter droppers in King George Park that she is tackling the problem herself. Sunderland Echo image.

Lucy gets particularly irritated when the rubbish is left right beside a bin, as it takes barely any extra effort to keep the park tidy for visitors, their dogs and the local wildlife to enjoy.

Mam Leanne said: “She was annoyed by the mess in the park and wanted to do something. So she asked me for a litter picker and I managed to get her one.

“Ever since then, every time we take the dog there she wants to take a black bag and the litter picker and go round. She loves it.

“She’s shocked that every time we go back there’s so much rubbish there again. She’s aware of the environment and that a lot of people walk their dogs there. It’s just gone from there.

Lucy McCormick - a credit to her family and community. Sunderland Echo image.

“We put the rubbish in our bin when we get home. I’m really proud of her, especially considering that no one asked her to do it and she took it upon herself.

“Lots of people who have seen her out doing it and said well done. It puts a smile on her face.”

Lucy said: “One night Wear Here 4 You were here and I was helping to pick the paper plates up and I enjoyed it, so I wanted to do more litter picking.”

Litter louts do at least give us someone to look down on

Lucy McCormick, nine, sees litter picking in King George Park as a call to Arms. Sunderland Echo image.

Nevertheless, Lucy says it would be better still if she didn’t need to do the picking up and everyone looked after the park.

She added: “They should put their rubbish in the bin when they’re finished with it. Some of it is left on the ground right beside the bin.”

The Sunderland Echo agrees with Lucy and has an ongoing Clean Streets campaign to combat the ignorance of litter droppers.

Sunderland nine-year-old shows the litter louts how it should be done by cleaning up her local park