AFTER 30 days of hard work, Grimsby is a step closer to keeping its prestigious Best Small City crown.

The Big Tidy Up campaign has now finished cleaning up eight wards in the town and will contribute to half the marks of the East Midlands In Bloom 2010 judging criteria.

As reported, The Big Tidy Up has seen teams of volunteers and council wardens band together to make a clean sweep of the area as part of the Keep Britain Tidy Campaign.

The Big Tidy Up took place around the South Ward, as part of the Grimsby In Bloom campaign. On Chelmsford Avenue, from left, Ernie Brown, Malcolm Giles, Neil Patrick, Chris Sutton, Jacquie Brown and Martyn Turner.

It has seen clean-ups take place in the East and West Marsh, as well as the Freshney, Yarborough, Heneage, Park, South and Scartho wards.

Ernie Brown, chairman of Grimsby In Bloom, said: "It has been fantastic to see so many volunteers, especially considering we have seen some bad weather.

"Thanks to the fact people could see us in our Big Tidy Up tabards and the publicity from the Grimsby Telegraph, I think more people will think about what they are doing.

"On the last day of The Big Tidy Up, I saw two teenagers kicking a can down the road.

"When they spotted me they picked up the can and put it in a bin. It's a sure sign negative attitudes can change." His wife and Grimsby In Bloom honorary secretary, Jacquie, said: "In Bloom is not just about flowers.

"Twenty-five percent of the judges' marks go to contributions made to the environment, and community participation.

"Throughout the month-long campaign to keep Grimsby tidy, a total of 99 volunteers have helped to pick 176 sacks of litter. They put in a total of 198 hours."

Malcolm Giles, 66, of Chelmsford Avenue, Grimsby, explained why he volunteered to take part in the project.

"I just think it is in the interests of everyone to keep the town as tidy as possible," he said.

Martyn Turner is part of the Grimsby, Cleethorpes And District Civic Society. He said: "I joined after hearing about the project from Jacquie and Ernie and got involved.

"I think work like this is a real contribution to society, and I hope what this campaign has done will restore some civic pride in the area."