From abandoned Guinea pigs to a mysterious safe, Paul Bailey has found his fair share while cleaning up one of Norfolk's main roads.

Mr Bailey, from Binham, has been donning his high-vis jacket and picking up litter along the A148 near Fakenham.

Eastern Daily Press: The rubbish collected on the A148 by Paul Bailey as part of his litter picking - including signs and hub capsThe rubbish collected on the A148 by Paul Bailey as part of his litter picking - including signs and hub caps (Image: Paul Bailey)

Dozens of bin bags have been filled with litter, batteries, car parts and almost everything in between. Bigger items have included fridges.

The 65-year-old, who moved to Norfolk from Warrington in November 2020, became increasingly aware of the issue of littering whilst out trying to enjoy his new home.

He began taking action by collecting one or two bags of rubbish close to his home, but has since upped the ante.

Eastern Daily Press: The rubbish collected on the A148 by Paul Bailey as part of his litter picking - including tyres and car parts.The rubbish collected on the A148 by Paul Bailey as part of his litter picking - including tyres and car parts. (Image: Paul Bailey)

Mr Bailey now works closely with North Norfolk District Council (NNDC), who have arranged for their contractors, Serco, to come and remove the junk he finds.

An NNDC spokesman said 236 incidents of littering were reported to them last year, down from 244 in 2020/21 and 509 in 2019/20.

“I think the majority of people either take their litter home with them or dispose of it responsibly,” said Mr Bailey.

“However, a fair percentage of motorists have no guilt whatsoever in just tossing litter out of their vehicle windows.

Eastern Daily Press: Wheels which were left on the A148, which were collected by Paul Bailey as part of his litter pickingWheels which were left on the A148, which were collected by Paul Bailey as part of his litter picking (Image: Paul Bailey)

“They either don’t care, or are totally ignorant in terms of the damage they are doing to the environment - and also how they’re impacting everyone’s enjoyment of the countryside."

The former bank employee, and councillor of Binham Parish Council, has stressed that he is carrying out his litter picking as safely as possible.

Wearing a high-vis jacket, he keeps his wits about him to ensure he crosses the road with due care and attention when required.

The Guinea pigs were discovered dumped in a lay-by in January when the temperature was just 2C.

Eastern Daily Press: The rubbish collected on the A148 by Paul Bailey as part of his litter pickingThe rubbish collected on the A148 by Paul Bailey as part of his litter picking (Image: Paul Bailey)

Harnessing the power of WhatApps, he rehomed the unwanted pets within an hour of finding them.

While hoping his work inspires others, Mr Bailey wants a tougher crackdown on littering.

An NNDC spokesman added: "The council works hard to keep our district clean, and encourages people to use bins around the district and tidy up after themselves.

"We welcome the efforts of people like Paul Bailey, who are helping to keep our district clean."