Football litter has been shown the red card thanks to an anti litter campaign in Denny and Dunipace.

The ‘Kick Litter out of the Game’ campaign was introduced last September following complaints about litter after amateur football games.

The six month pilot saw Falkirk Council’s Litter Strategy team and Falkirk Community Trust team up with two local teams - Central Rio and Steins Thistle Club.

Both clubs signed a contract at the start of the football season agreeing to keep the pitch free of litter before and after each game – and so far it’s been a result for all sides!

There are no more weekly complaints about the litter on the pitches after games which could include over 40 plastic bottles, football tape and sweet wrappers.

Councillor Jim Blackwood, Spokesperson for Public Protection said: “We became aware of a growing litter problem following local football matches. Our ‘kick litter out of the game’ campaign gained much needed support from the local clubs who have helped make a huge difference to the cleanliness of the local environment.

“We now have plans in place to roll the campaign out across the Falkirk Council area and have already received much support from other local teams keen to take part in reducing litter!”

Around 320 football players aged 5-35 years, thirty coaches and 40 parents had contact with the litter strategy team during the six month pilot. The campaign also included:

• All players received a football litter t-shirt to use when training
• Banners with litter messages put up around the pitches
• Collapsible bins located at each pitch to be used at each game for supporters and team players
• Street Cleansing surveyed the pitches after the weekend fixture games
• The Cleanest pitches will receive an award at the end of the season
• Litter focussed assemblies at Denny high school promoting the campaign to 1100 pupils.

The ‘kick litter out of the game’ has also been a hit with Falkirk Football Club with the first team wearing the litter t-shirts at warm ups before matches.

Discussions are now taking place with Falkirk Football Club, Stenhousemuir football club and other amateur clubs based in Falkirk, to roll out the same initiative after the summer holidays.