GRIMSBY actress Julie Peasgood has become a patron of a local beauty spot.
As a child growing up in Grimsby, Julie loved visiting Louth's Hubbard's Hills.
She accepted an invitation from the trust which runs the scenic valley park to become a patron and joined volunteers cleaning up the amenity area.
Members of staff from Lincolnshire Co-op dedicated their volunteer days to the tidying up of the Hills and cleared litter and branches.
The Grimsby-born actress, who starred in Emmerdale and a Bird's Eye frozen peas advert among many other roles, said she loved visiting Hubbard's Hills as a young girl.
On her return visit, she said: "It looks more beautiful than it did as a child. It was a big treat coming to Hubbard's Hills with my parents.
"What made it more magical was I used to get car sick, so I had to lay down in the car and then we would be here.
"It is beautiful and looks well kept."
She added: "There is now a lot of silt in the stream, which is a chalk stream and it will need clearing out. So to keep it looking its best will need money and work and people's time. There are lots of volunteers putting in their time. I would encourage people who want to keep it as beautiful as it is to give their time.
"Hubbard's Hills is open 365 days a year and is free. We need to keep it looking magnificent."
Trustee Philip Day, who was helping clean out litter and branches said: "We are fortunate to have such a beautiful area. But some young people use it for barbecues. How irresponsible is that? It costs us £3,000 a year just to clear the litter. People should know to take their litter home with them.
"At weekends Hubbards' Hills is filled with families enjoying the natural beauty and on bank holidays is very busy. It is great for dog owners, so long as they clean up their muck."
Lincolnshire Co-op education and volunteer co-ordinator Rachel Sampher said staff are allocated two paid days each year to carry out voluntary work in their communities.
She said Co-op managers had encouraged staff from Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Louth to take part in the clean-up.
They arranged for a quad bike and trailer to pick up a lot of branches and dead wood which was put on a bonfire.
She said: "We have all enjoyed picking up litter, clearing rotten wood and taking out some invasive trees."
The volunteers will return on June 4 to carry out more work.
The trust took over responsibility for the upkeep of the beauty spot from East Lindsey District Council in 2009.
The park was given to the people of Louth in 1907 after money was bequeathed in the will of Louth teacher Auguste Pahud.
