OFFENDERS in York helped clear thousands of cigarette butts from the city’s streets as part of a scheme to help convicted criminals give something back to the community.

The day of action saw offenders, who have been handed community punishment sentences, clean up the litter as part of a Community Payback scheme.

City of York Council said the scheme also helped save taxpayers’ money by reducing street cleaning costs.

The council spends £2 million annually on street cleansing, with cigarette butts one of the most common forms of litter.

Ed Gray, Community Payback manager for York and Selby, York and North Yorkshire Probation Trust, said: “Cigarette butts can be extremely difficult to clear up and this costs both time and taxpayers’ money. I am delighted the Community Payback team has been able to provide the manpower required to help the council achieve its aims. “At the same time, offenders could be seen giving visible payback to the communities where they have caused most harm through their offending.”

One of the offenders who helped pick up the cigarette butts praised the Community Payback scheme.

Sean Harman, who was ordered to complete 80 hours unpaid work by the court, said: “Community Payback really makes you think before you do something silly and end up back in court.”

Iain Dunn, street environment officer for City Of York Council, said last year, over an eight-hour period, student volunteers picked up more than 30,000 cigarette ends in a similar scheme.

He said cigarette butts were litter and that by dropping them people risked being fined £75.