Fourteen youngsters spent the weekend picking up litter along a stretch of the coast collecting 15 full bags of rubbish.

Car body parts, hundreds of burnt-out fireworks and even a dead fox were found in the dunes as part of the team's conservation project.

The children, all from St Annes College Grammar School, worked with Lancashire Wildlife Trust and Fylde Council's dunes project officer in a bid to help preserve some of the town's most famous shifting landmarks.

Councillors are now urging more residents to get involved in litter picks which are due to be arranged over the coming months.

Annette Ford, curriculum leader from the school, said: "This was a wonderful opportunity for the pupils to engage in a community activity which not only links with many aspects of the school's curriculum, but helps the children gain a better appreciation of the environment.

"But the children were disappointed to find so much man-made material on the beach, especially food and sweet wrappings and plastic bottles."

The dunes have been subject to litter problems over the past few decades with many organisations saying the wildlife is under threat due to mounting rubbish.

The litter pick comes a week after the council's dunes officer, Anne Heslop, led a team of volunteers to remove a number of plants and bushes from the sands off Clifton Drive.

Mrs Heslop said: "The work will help the unique wildflowers which grow on the dunes to flourish and grow without the competition of the large plants pushing them out."

"It's great that the local community is helping out with the sand dunes project, by working together we can help to protect and promote our dunes which are of great importance to wildlife and us as a sea defence"

Coun Tony Ford, for Ashton ward, said: "I'm very pleased these young people were willing to get involved and help protect the environment."