A kind-hearted team of United Utilities “wombles” has been out and about in Brigham, helping tidy up the village.

Between them, the six-strong group from the West Cumbria Pipeline project managed to collect six full bags of rubbish from roads and hedgerows.

They even found a lost iPhone, which has now been handed in at Cockermouth Police Station.

It was part of drive to give something back to the local community which has been hit with several closures on Low Road, one of the main routes into the village.

Over the last year United Utilities has laid a new sewer as part of a project to upgrade Cockermouth wastewater treatment works. Engineers have also laid a new water main and relined an existing water pipe as part of the West Cumbria Water Supplies project. And finally, some new water pipe connections were installed as part of the company’s response to the dry weather over the hot summer.

Luke Johnston, Assistant Project Coordinator at United Utilities, said: “Low Road seems to be a bit of a major intersection as far as our infrastructure is concerned.

“Each of these projects has resulted in a road closure, diversion or temporary traffic lights and we know that’s been an inconvenience for local people.  So we wanted to show that we do care for the village, and to say thank you for everybody’s patience.”   

The litter-picking pipe team said they had had some lovely encouraging comments from residents who saw them out and about on the day.

Donna Holliday, Clerk to Brigham Parish Council, said: “On behalf of the residents of Brigham and Broughton Cross the Parish Council would like to express its gratitude to the United Utilities litter pickers. The collecting of the six bags of rubbish highlights an ongoing problem of litter dropping. The Parish Council have been active in the provision of a further five litter bins and they are being well used by the community. We also appreciate that United Utilities recognises the inconvenience caused by the necessary roadworks for the pipeline installation.”

If anyone has lost an iPhone in Brigham they are encouraged to contact Cockermouth Police Station.

Later this month there will be some further road closures in Brigham.  On 19 November a small section of Low Road near the Wheatsheaf Garage will be closed for a week, but this will not affect access between Brigham and the A66.  On 26 November the top end of Cockermouth Lonning will be closed for up to two weeks.