Volunteers clean up in blitz on graffiti

Surrey,England,UK

By Beth Mcloughlin

UGLY graffiti has been blitzed by volunteers in Ashtead.

They cleaned up four traffic island bollards, four lampposts, various green utility boxes, one signpost, several fences, a tree and several walls.

The yearly event may now become a quarterly one as the volunteers hailed it a great success. After last year's clean-up, it took 10 months before graffiti reappeared in the station car park.

Larry Unthank, chairman of Ashtead Residents' Association, said: "I am more than happy to organise these 'cleaning parties', as it is now dawning on people that just moaning about graffiti doesn't remove it - elbow grease does. Moreover, if we don't clean it off, the 'artists' will have won, which must not happen, as Ashtead will be known for its graffiti'd look rather than for being the pleasant place it is to live in."

PC Jason Woods said: "It is very heartening to see members of the community working together to rid Ashtead of graffiti.

"Together with British Transport Police, Surrey Police has had a huge amount of success so far this year with numerous offenders being prosecuted. There have been more recent arrests and these will continue over the next few weeks. "Graffiti is a criminal offence and will not be tolerated."

Anyone who would like to volunteer for the next cleaning party should contact Ashtead Residents' Association via its website at www.ashteadresidents.org.uk or call Mr Unthank on 01372 277942.