A running club which launched their version of a popular Swedish running and cleaning activity had a resounding success.

Orion Harriers Running Club, in Chingford, had 30 keen eco-activists and runners, including children, attend their first plogging session last Sunday.

The team cleared a total of 30 bags of rubbish in one hour including a television, takeaway containers, bottles and cigarette packets.

Secretary of Orion Harriers Running Club, Roy Perrott from Walthamstow, who was one of the plogging leaders on the day, was pleased with the turnout.

He said: “I think it went really well, we wasn’t sure how many we was going to get because it was quite a wet and windy day but we had a real mixture of people.”

Originating from Sweden, plogging has become a popular activity in an attempt to reduce waste in public areas whilst maintaining personal fitness.

The volunteers were split into two groups, joggers and walkers, clearing around Chingford Lane car park and up and down Berry Lane.

Fellow runner Alan Godbold lead the event collecting items before they were separated into recycling and disposable materials and then taken away.

Mr Perrott also revealed was the vast number of wet wipes dumped within the area, saying: “The message doesn’t seem to have gone out that they are not biodegradable, don’t throw up wet wipes in the forest because they are not tissues, they don’t just rot away.”

“They then the cling together and make massive fatbergs, they are a menace.”

Cups of tea was given out to everyone who completed the course and battled the drizzly weather.

Mr Perrott also wanted to thank Epping Forest Heritage Trust for providing the running club with litter pickers and rubbish bags on the day.

He added: “The whole point about the event is it’s not just to be an Orion Harriers event but for anyone who is in the forest and concerned about the welfare.

“All are welcome, it’s not just all able-bodied people - children, retired people, and one guy came with a buggy. It was a very good positive feel.”

Epping Forest Ploggers plan to hold a second event in either April or May.

For more information visit the Epping Forest Plogging Facebook page.