WORKERS from a fast food takeaway formed an environmentally-friendly taskforce to clean the waterfront.

Staff and relatives from McDonald’s homed in on the ‘boardwalk’ area between Newark Castle and Kelburn Park in Port Glasgow as part of the company’s continuing efforts to improve the local environments where they operate.

Assistant manager Gavin Canavan said McDonald’s have been sending out daily litter patrols to pick up carelessly discarded litter for more than 20 years.

He said: “We were the first restaurant company in the UK to do it.

“We picked up litter in Battery Park last year, and wanted to tackle the mile-long area between Newark Castle and Kelburn Park because it’s not covered by the council’s litter patrols.

“Everyone gave up their own time to spend three hours clearing up.”

The restaurant’s business manager, Robert Rae, said it keeps close links with the local community.

He said: “We go to residents’ meetings, and we have a team who regularly clean up the area a hundred metres around the restaurant.”

McDonald’s have long-term relationships with Keep Britain Tidy and the other groups such as Love Where You Live, and include customer messaging on all of their packaging, tray liners, signage and litter bins, encouraging customers to dispose of packaging responsibly.

Gavin added: “Across the UK, McDonald’s employees walk 3,000 miles a week – more than 150,000 miles a year – to collect local litter.

“We filled six refuse bags with litter – including a carpet – and the waterfront at Port Glasgow looks smashing now.”

The Inverclyde clean-up crew included Caitlin Collins, Jane McBride, Christopher Borland, Dominic Joyce, Emma Buchan, Shannan McMahon, Eryn Kane, Abbie Fyfe, Brian Wilkinson and Matthew Tipping.

Mr Rae, was also there with his daughter Lauren, her friend Leah Richmond, Robert’s sister Elizabeth Rae and her children Megan and Harrison.