WHILE many people have made more eco-friendly living one of their New Year’s resolutions, revellers on Moel Famau got off to a bad start after they left hundreds of pieces of litter at the summit.

The rubbish, which included fireworks, sparkles, bottles, cups and party poppers were spotted by Dr Christian Dunn, senior lecturer in zoology at University of Bangor, as he was walking with his children on New Year’s Day.

Dr Dunn, who is a local representative for Surfers Against Sewage and member of Friends of the Earth Chester, said there were “hundreds of little pieces of plastic” and he “just couldn’t believe anyone would leave their rubbish up there like that”.

The Leader:

Litte discovered at Moel Famau

“As well as looking awful this type of litter is definitely not good for wildlife,” he said. “I think everyone now understand the harm small pieces of plastic can do to all manner of animals.

Dr Dunn said his daughters, aged five and eight, are “pretty well-trained in litter-picking” and “got stuck in straight away collecting what they could”.

“Unfortunately I wasn’t as prepared as usual so didn’t have any litter bags so we had to put everything straight into my rucksack, which now stinks of gunpowder and stale booze,” he said.

“I’m totally not into stopping folk having fun, and it must be lovely to welcome in the New Year in such a beautiful location, but just take your litter home with you,” Dr Dunn added.

The Leader:

The daughters of Dr Christian Dunn, Isabella (8) and Elena (5), pick up the litter at Moel Famau

Moel Famau is a popular spot for New Year’s Eve celebrations and concludes the busy Christmas period in which groups of walkers enjoy the sweeping views of the Vale of Clwyd.

A spokesperson for the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB said litter was a bigger problem this year due to a higher number of visitors, while there were also issues around unauthorised parking.

“We were extremely busy over the Christmas period as many people were enjoying the fine weather and we had a number of ranger staff on duty,” the spokesperson said.

The Leader:

Moel Famau

“The top of Moel Famau is always busy and generally people respect it however due to the sheer number of people this time litter has been an issue which is disappointing.

“Litter in the countryside is an issue not just for wildlife but also grazing animals. We would urge visitors to be respectful of the environment and people who live here.”