A KIND - HEARTED nine-year-old boy went on a mission to keep his town clean.

James Talbot, of Manningtree, went litter picking with a friend and filled three and a half bags of rubbish.

This is the second time the young boy has been out to clear the area around the local Co-op store and the Highfields Primary School, which he attends.

His mother Victoria Talbot, 48, described her son as a ‘caring little boy’, who wishes people didn’t throw away their rubbish in the street.

James loves nature and has excitedly shared that one of the full bags he collected ‘was from one bush only’.

Mrs Talbot remembered her son wanted to get a litter picker from Amazon earlier this year to keep the wildlife safe.

She said: “I’m so proud of the young boy he’s growing in too.

“He’s so kind and loving.

“He loves plants and flowers and all wild life and even though he hates spiders he will never see one be hurt.”

James has received an overwhelming support from residents of Manningtree on social media, who described him as ‘an example to many’ and ‘a little star’.

Along with his mother, James is now planning to find volunteers for a five-hour litter picking around Manningtree and raise money for charity.

He is hoping to raise funds to support the Highfields Primary School as well as the Acorn Village Charity, which cares for adults with learning disabilities.

Mrs Talbot thinks the campaign is a great way to make more young children like James care for the environment.

She added: “We are going to try and do five hours of litter picking split into two and half hours, to rest and have something to eat.

“We are hoping to go along where the ice cream vans are and the swans, along the Co-op again and Lawford Dale where we live.

“Hopefully we can get the council involved to give out litter pickers and bags and encourage little ones to come along with us. “

If you want to take part in the next Manningtree clean-up, you can call Victoria Talbot on 07738334322.