A RADCLIFFE litter picking group is hoping people realise just how long there rubbish sticks around for - by giving examples of some of the old things they have fished out of Bury's waterways.

The group regularly goes litter picking around Radcliffe, targeting areas near the canal and other sources of water.

During their picks they often come across items which have been around for years and look no older than the day they were made.

Group member Gill Smith said: "We have found a few things that are quite old but we often just throw things in a bag and don't properly look at them. Someone found a coin from 1931 - it was silver and worth around a fiver, so the old things aren't necessarily the rich findings you'd think they are.

"A few people have pulled out bottles and cans from the 1980s - some had badly corroded but you could still pick them up. A couple of weeks ago, we even found a sofa that had been there for years and it still looked fresh and usable."

The group has also dealt with asbestos fly tippers, with the dangerous material often being dumped by people to avoid costly removal fees.

Gill added: "Asbestos can last hundreds of years. If you want to take it to the tip, it can cost a fortune. The price of getting it taken away too puts people off - the council have to come round all suited and booted in their protective gear and it can cost a lot."

A member of the group also recently found an old Boost chocolate bar wrapper - with a use by date of May, 2003.

The wrapper was mostly intact, with no loss of colour and only minor deterioration.

Gill said: "I think it is really interesting. The Boost wrapper that was found was in really good condition and wasn't even discoloured, even though it came from 2003.

"People need to realise that their rubbish just doesn't go away. It gets buried or ends up in a waterway. People don't know what they are doing to the earth, but it isn't hard to just put something in the bin or recycle."