YOUNGSTERS are being urged to enter a poster and photo competition to help rid a town of litter.

The Monmouth Litter Group are urging primary and secondary school pupils to join the town makeover project by coming up with eye-catching ideas on how to improve the rubbish situation.

Group spokesman Bob Handley said: “Give us your ideas on what can be done to make things better. We will then arrange for them to be seen by many others in local exhibitions and publications.

“Litter looks unpleasant and spoils our roads and green spaces for everyone who either lives here or visits. Some gets into our Rivers Wye and Monnow and so into the sea.

“Keep Wales Tidy say we use around 725,000 plastic bottles a day in Wales which never biodegrades, just breaks down into smaller pieces, while chewing gum is found on about 75 percent of Wales’ streets.

“Dog fouling is also very unpleasant and may cause blindness, and litter gets into our rivers, then the sea, which can kill animals and fish – even whales.”

The poster competition is for primary pupils, with one group for Year Three to Four and one for Year Five to Six. Winners receive a £25 book token.

The photo competition is for secondary pupils, with one group for Years Seven to Ten, and one for Years 11-13. Winners receive a £50 gift token.

The competition runs until the end of May, and anyone between seven and 19 resident in, or attending a school, in Monmouth, or within 10 miles of the town, can enter.

Entrants should include a caption or title for each entry of not more than 15 words. A maximum of two posters or six photographs is allowed.

Posters should be A4 size, which will be collected from primary schools on Thursday, May 25. Photos should be e-mailed to

photocompetition@monmouth.

gov.uk and must be two mega­pixels or greater.

Posters and photographic prints (6ins x 4ins) may also be left in an envelope marked

Monmouth Makeover at the Community Hub (Rolls Hall Library) before June 1, with name, school, year group, address, contact email and/or phone number.

An exhibition of the entries will take place at the Shire Hall from 6pm to 8.30pm on Tuesday, June 6, when prizes and certificates will be awarded by Monmouth trans-Atlantic rower Rob Munslow.

The competition is organised by the Monmouth Litter Group, supported by Monmouth Town Council, Monmouthshire County Council, Keep Wales Tidy and the Rotary Club of Monmouth.

For more information contact Bob Handley on 01600 228125 or [email protected]