A significant increase in rubbish left in parks and open spaces since lockdown eased has led to Bath & North East Somerset Council launching an anti-littering campaign with the powerful message 'Don't be a tosser'.

With the council's cleansing team having dealt with more than 120 littering incidents in the district in May and June this year alone, the message needs to be clear that people's rubbish is their responsibility and they must use a bin or take their litter home.

Temporary 'Don't be a tosser' signs will soon be going up in parks and open spaces in Keynsham, Saltford and Bath in locations where littering has become a real problem.

The council is making clear that the notices are not intended to cause offence to anyone but that the message must be hard-hitting to tackle the issue.

Anyone caught littering can be issued with a £150 fine.

Councillor David Wood, cabinet member for Climate Emergency and Neighbourhood Services, said: "Since lockdown restrictions have eased, littering problems across our area have gone up. Our waste team and the volunteers who work hard to support us are fed up with picking up rubbish. It needs to stop now. Littering is illegal, anti-social, has a negative impact on our environment and costs thousands of pounds each year to clear.

"Our message is simple. Use a bin or take your litter home. We do not wish to upset anyone with the language we are using and hope residents will understand it is the littering that is offensive, and must be tackled robustly. Thank you to those volunteers who are helping to keep B&NES clean – especially during the pandemic."

Last year more than 1,000 bags of litter were collected by the council, weighing around 3.5 tonnes.

The most common items littered in parks and open spaces include gas canisters, balloons, glass, disposable barbecues, plastic bottles, cans and bags of dog foul.

The signs are first being put up in Keynsham and in key areas of Bath.