I was hoping to put one of my favourite-ever presents to good use this weekend: my litter picker!

Geno and I quite often take a walk down our Hill to gather the detritus that ends up in the bank running alongside, which in summer and autumn is heaving with hedgerow goodies such as cherry plums and brambles and not recycling and rubbish.

It’s been a windy old week. (Indeed, we currently have hemmed-in hens because our fence blew down leaving a gap between us and our neighbour that’s just a bit too tempting for such inquisitive little birds.) So, no doubt we’ll be out collecting – and recycling, where possible – what was whipped up by the wind plus the inevitable litter.

Last time I patrolled the verges another one of our neighbours commented brightly: “What a good citizen!” Looking at the perplexed faces of others passing by, whilst I wrestled with a wilful Starburst wrapper in the sleet, they were probably in the minority in just thinking that!