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A place to run, walk, take the dog, or just breathe in the soothing effects of nature with an exclusive soundtrack provided by the birds and the breeze.

But what happens when your green wilderness becomes someone else’s litter bin? Young people from the K.A.T.Y. (Knowsley Action Team for Youth) project decided to take matters into their own rubber-gloved hands when they noticed that one of their favourite beauty spots was starting to look less than pretty.

Acornfield Plantation in Kirkby, known locally as Spinney Woods is enjoyed by local people as well as visitors, who come to the area for its unique landscape. It is the start of the Kirkby Mossland Walk, which winds its way through the quiet mosslands of Kirkby and onto Rainford Parish about seven miles away.

The woods are mostly oak, with some beech, Scots pine and cherry, and there is also a pond and basin mire where you can spot many species of birds, insects and amphibians.

The woods were once part of Lord Sefton’s Estate, and were used as hunting ground for game.

Kevin Bushell is the ranger for Spinney Woods. “This place is an absolute oasis in Kirkby”, he told us.

Most visitors to the woods enjoy the area and leave it as they found it, but some woodland walkers have been leaving an unwelcome trail. Littering has been a problem and the area around the pond seems to be a particular magnet for discarded drinks cans, food wrappers and other assorted rubbish.

“There are bottles and wrappers everywhere” John Farrell, K.A.T.Y. group leader pointed out as the team arrived at the pond area.

“Some of the local youth use this as a drinking den at the weekend. A lot of the bottles and cans end up being chucked into the pond.”

Twelve young people took part in the day-long clear-up, using fish nets to scoop out the pond and filter out the rubbish. Some of the KATY team even took to a small rowing boat to reach debris in the middle of the pond.

“We’ve pulled out some horrible stuff - a massive rotten log which took ages to get out, loads of wrappers and even some underwear. It’s horrible!” said Helen as she hooked yet more rubbish out of the water.

“I’m really pleased that we’ve done it”, Mike, 14, told us. I like it when people come through and see that it all looks neat and tidy.”

It wasn’t just rubbish that the young people pulled out of the water though. The prize specimen of the day was a newt who had a surprise when he was pulled from the pond. A curious group examined him closely before putting him back carefully in his newly cleaned home.