LITTER is the 'worst it has ever been' according to new research, where more than 50 per cent of Brits are seriously concerned about the amount of rubbish in their area.

The fallout from Reading Festival has left residents and charities outraged by the sheer volume of rubbish left behind from thousands of festival goers which will ultimately end in landfill.

Discarded sleeping bags and tents at Reading Festival is just one thing, but takeaway wrappers scattered around park benches, the wrong bin being used for rubbish disposal, overflowing bins with rubbish strewn around them, and recyclable items thrown away are the most common sights, according to the study.

In order to tackle this issue, Pilgrim’s Choice is embarking on a nationwide road show in August and September to share plastic reduction tips, which helped them reduce plastic packaging by 40 per cent, while also organising litter picks in cities all over the UK.

READ MORE: Photos show mammoth size of Reading Festival clean-up task

Almost seven in 10 people think that looking after our environment needs to be a collective effort, and if everyone does their bit to reduce litter, plastic packaging and rubbish, it can make a big difference.

The nationwide study, commissioned by Pilgrims Choice, found that almost four in five Britons regularly see other people leaving rubbish behind 74 per cent of people polled say that they can’t bear to watch litter being dropped.

Reading Chronicle: The site of Reading Festival littered tents and rubbish that have been left behind by revellers at Little John's Farm, captured in footage shot by flyskydrones@hotmail.com on Monday

Three-quarters of Brits have also witnessed people leaving empty cans and bottles in the park, while almost two-thirds (65 per cent) have seen people throwing rubbish out of their car windows.

So with that in mind, here are some litter picking events which you can join to help the planet be a better place

Join these litter picking groups/events in Berkshire:

  • Slough Anti-Litter Society- run regular events and you can join their page here here
  • Crowthorne Reduce Our Waste - run regular litter picking events
  • Tilehurst Litter Pickers - join the facebook page here
  • Adopt a Street, Wokingham - join here

ALSO READ: The Bracknell lane plagued by fly-tipping with five offences reported in last year

Lucy Hay, Senior Brand Manager at Pilgrims Choice comments: “Like many others who are looking to reduce their plastic and excess packaging, we recognise that when we all make even small changes, it can add up to make a big difference; that’s why we’ve introduced our 40 percent reduced plastic Megablock.

“We’re excited to set out on our roadshow across the country this month and next, doing our bit to help tackle rising litter in public places and sharing tips and advice to reduce plastic consumption going forward.”