Shoppers came face-to-face with a life-size Womble and a giant cigarette last weekend in a campaign to keep Royston town centre tidy.

Costume-wearing town councillors spoke to shoppers calling on them to help to keep the town centre free from litter, then handed them leaflets and cigarette and gum disposal pouches.

The campaign comes after pavements were given a deep clean and cigarette bins were installed in the centre.

In recent months the town council’s working party has been negotiating with North Herts District Council to carry out the deep clean work and to ensure other refurbishments will be completed shortly.

A spokesman for the working party said: “As the town centre has received a deep clean we wanted to emphasise the fact that it is now in the hands of the public to ensure we keep the area tidy.

“We were encouraged by the high level of support we received from the public.”