SIR: Heartbreaking to see TV footage of the recent warm spell and accompanying rubbish left in parks and green spaces.

Why? Because the message about litter destroying the countryside and contributing to global warming is not getting through. Where are we if we can't even take our rubbish home and what do our children think?

As a child of the 50's we always took our rubbish home and we had no idea about global warming - it was just something that you did.

That's not to say those times in general were better, just that we didn't expect a team of people would clear up afterwards. It seemed that a natural response to a picnic was to remove rubbish because our parents and grandparents wanted to 'be tidy'.

When I said heartbreaking, it probably seems like an exaggeration.

It is the sheer volume of rubbish.

An urgent message needs to go out but my question is - why do we need it?

I mistakenly thought that the public would be geared into clearing up - the message about plastic pollution and landfills destroying the coastline must surely be getting through. Not so - it looks like we need to address individual responsibility and the cost of not behaving separately but as a group - a bit like dealing with coronavirus - all of our behaviour affects others so we must behave with care or risk our own well being.

If you can't make that connection then all our green spaces are at risk of being completely trashed. I guess these daytrippers don't care. The next time they come to visit everything has been cleared away ready for them to trash again.

Elaine Ehrenfried,

Coach Hill Close,

Chandler's Ford,

Eastleigh