WILDLIFE expert Chris Packham was given a helping hand by pupils from two schools when he launched a massive 30th anniversary clean-up of the New Forest.

The television presenter made an appeal to children from Nomansland and Lyndhurst when New Forest Pride Week got under way at the New Forest Reptile Centre near Lyndhurst.

After praising the success of the initiative, which involves thousands of volunteers picking up tons of litter each year, he gave the children "three good reasons" for not leaving litter.

He said: "Number one, it looks ugly, in the towns as well but particularly in a natural area like the Forest. When you come here, you come to enjoy the resource and litter is no part of a natural resource.

"Number two, it shows how lazy we are and how little we respect the environment if we leave litter lying around.

"Number three, some items of litter are very dangerous to wildlife and can make animals ill or even kill them."

Later, emphasising his hatred for litter in general and plastic bottles in particular, he said: "I think my worst experience was when I was on a beach in South Georgia and I found myself kicking a Domestos bottle about. I suddenly thought, 'Is there a beach on Earth where there isn't a plastic bottle?'"

New Forest District Council chairman John Hoy added that the event had started in a small way, but around 2,000 people would be picking up litter this year. The event is jointly organised by New Forest District Council and the Forestry Commission and runs until Sunday.