COMMUNITY activists are organising a clean-up in Shawlands this week after a surge in fly tipping.

The group Reclaim Our Lanes is calling on local support as they roll up their sleeves and tackle rubbish cluttering lanes around Walton Street.

Organisers said the situation has become worse since lockdown as private lanes, which were previously busy with delivery trucks, have fallen quiet.

Working with Glasgow City Council, the group has arranged for skips to be on site on Friday and Saturday.

One of the organisers, Lori McNeill, said she had noticed a build up in fly tipping in a lane behind Walton Street, which prompted her to get involved.

She said: "Before lockdown it was a working lane so had a lot of vehicles going in and out.

"Because it was busy it wasn't attractive for people to fly tip but it's gotten so much worse since Christmas and become really, really bad.

"On January 3 I was going for a run and had to go through the lane - there were hoovers, a mattresses.

"They are clearly now using that lane as a fly tipping hot spot.

"We got such a large social media response.

"There's a community movement in Shawlands to do something about it."

On March 5 from 3.30pm to 5.30pm and March 6 from 10am to 3pm, volunteers will be taking part in the clean up bearing in mind coronavirus safety guidance.

They are looking for more people to get involved. Message the Facebook group Reclaim Our Lanes to be given a time slot and location.

Lori added: "COP26 will put Glasgow on the world stage so it is more important than ever that Glasgow is free of litter and fly tipping."

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “We have been working with residents and owners across the city to encourage them to be more involved in the maintenance of the privately-owned back lanes attached to their property.

“There has been a really good response from this neighbourhood in Shawlands and it’s been very encouraging to see local property owners and residents working effectively together.

“A skip will be provided in support of a community clear-up along the lane and we hope that will help move along their plans for the lane to become more accessible and usable space on a day-to-day basis.

“With 931 privately-owned lanes across Glasgow, we have developed an on-line toolkit that is proving to be a useful source of information for owners and residents hoping to enhance an often overlooked part of their property.”