An anti-litter campaign which spans Essex, Kent and Suffolk has resulted in a reduction of litter for the third year in a row.

The Love Essex campaign, run by the Cleaner Essex Group, made up of Essex local authorities and local business partners, aims to remind people that littering is a criminal offence which comes with a fixed penalty notice from £75 and a maximum fine upon conviction in court of £2,500.

In the areas monitored, and independently verified by Keep Britain Tidy, figures showed an average drop in litter of 43 per cent.

This year’s campaign "Don’t toss it - #BinIt" appeared on bus shelters, petrol pumps and refuse vehicles across Essex. The message was reiterated in and around 86 McDonald’s and 15 KFC restaurants in Essex, Kent and Suffolk helping to reduce branded fast food litter by 63 per cent.

More so than ever before, social media played a major part in helping the Cleaner Essex Group spread the campaign’s messages to 2.4 million social media accounts.

Rochford District Council’s cabinet member for the Environment, Cllr Dave Sperring said: “Rochford District Council takes littering very seriously. Not only is it anti-social but it impacts on the local environment in which we live and work.”

“Every year thousands of pounds are spent on picking up litter, this could be better spent on other services but unfortunately the cost falls to the local taxpayer.”