Volunteers set off on the Thanet Coast Project beach clean

Thanet's beaches are back to their brilliant best after teams of local volunteers joined the fight against marine litter.

Armed with gloves, bags and litter pickers provided by the Thanet Coast Project, residents cleaned the stretch of beach between Birchington and Plumpudding, as well as Margate Main Sands, St Mildred's Bay, Viking Bay and Pegwell Bay.

The activities last Saturday and Sunday (September 19-20) were part of the nationwide Beachwatch Big Weekend -- an annual clean-up and litter survey organised by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS).