NOT one of the everyday folk who leave things behind, but more like the womble Madame Cholet, Maureen Dowsett has waged war on litter in a Basingstoke suburb for 25 years - and she has notched up two awards in the process.

Now the award-winning litter picker is backing The Gazette's Litter - Let's Bin It initiative, launched under the umbrella of our Basingstoke -A Place To Be Proud Of campaign. She has urged other people to follow her example and do their bit to keep the town tidy.

Mrs Dowsett, who is retired and lives in Derwent Road, Kempshott, is up with the lark and out on the streets by 8am most days with a plastic bag and litter picker in tow.

In 2000, Mrs Dowsett was presented with an Unsung Hero award by Prince Charles at Highgrove, and last summer she was also named as a local hero by staff at the new Asda store in Brighton Hill for her tireless efforts in keeping Kempshott clean.

Mrs Dowsett, 66, said: "I would like to think the awards have made me a bit more dedicated. It was obviously something Prince Charles felt strongly about.

When I told him what I'd done to win the award he clamped his hands on my shoulders and said 'Litter - I can't stand litter'. I feel I am going out by royal appointment now.

"Kempshott is such a lovely, green area so a chip paper sticks out like a sore thumb. I'm also very concerned with wildlife. Ring pulls and other litter can cause a lot of damage to animals.

"It sounds obsessive but I can't walk past a piece of litter and not pick it up. If I'm going to the post box, the shop or the bottle bank, I always go with a spare plastic bag and a litter picker.

"If people would just look right and left when they put their own rubbish bins out and picked up a couple of things it would make such a difference."

Jean and John Brace, who also live in Derwent Road, nominated Mrs Dowsett for both awards after spotting her out on her early morning litter picks.

Mrs Brace, 63, said: "I think she's wonderful. She's out there in all weathers. I thought she deserved some kind of recognition. I saw the national award mentioned in the Daily Mail and I thought, 'Well why not? Picking up litter is very important'."