Dozens of bags of rubbish picked up along the A14

Litter including a shopping trolley and a roof-rack has been collected along a busy dual carriageway during two months of overnight closures.

National Highways said a total of 127 bags of rubbish had been filled by contractors along the A14 between Rothwell and Kettering, Northamptonshire.

The closures meant they could get to areas that were usually difficult to reach safely because of traffic.

Lewis Tooley, from National Highways, said: "If people didn't drop litter in the first place, it wouldn't need to be picked up."

The road was closed in August and September so drains could be cleaned and updated, safety barriers repaired and street lights replaced.

During that time, contractors picked up the litter from verges and central reservations on behalf of North Northamptonshire Council, which is responsible for keeping the road tidy.

The majority of the rubbish picked up included disposable coffee cups, fast-food packaging, cans and bottles, newspapers and magazines, plastic shopping bags and vehicle parts.

Pallets and clothes were also collected.

Project manager Tooley said: "No-one wants to see litter strewn along the roadside.

"It's unsightly, and a threat to the environment and wildlife."

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