While many children may have wanted computer games or Liverpool kits, one boy knew the one thing he really wanted for Christmas, a litter picker.

Harry Higgins, aged nine, from Ramsey, was inspired to pick rubbish from his local area after a visit to his school by Beach Buddies.

The environmental charity visits schools to educate young people about the need to protect wildlife and for us all to tidy up after ourselves.

Harry said: ’Beach Buddies came to Sulby School and told us about the damage being done to animals by rubbish in the countryside, and I wanted to do something about it.

’They told us that all we needed was a litter picker and gloves, so I asked for a litter picker for Christmas.’

And on Boxing Day, while many of us were having a lie-in, hitting the sales or playing with new toys, Harry was out with his litter picker tidying up the area alongside his home on the former steam railway line.

Bill Dale, founder of Beach Buddies, said: ’This is just fantastic and exactly what we are trying to inspire, not just in the Isle of Man, but around the world.

’Harry has also inspired us too. We are now bringing forward an idea we’ve had for a while - to give out litter pickers to schools all over the iIsland.

’He is the perfect example of a young person who cares about the planet and nature and decided to do something after seeing evidence of the damage that litter is causing around the world.’

Beach Buddies said it has visited all of the island’s schools in the previous 18 months, during which time students have been the driving force behind schools and latterly the Department of Education, Sport and Culture in banning single-use plastic.

However, Beach Buddies said anyone interested in copying Harry should follow some important safety guidelines.

Mr Dale said: ’We want to make it very clear that we do not want the island’s school children cleaning up streets and roads. This is obviously potentially very dangerous, so we ask that anyone wanting to follow Harry’s example sticks to adult-supervised events in parks, footpaths, glens, plantations or playgrounds, and to keep away from roads and streets.

’We’ve got lots of adults who can tackle roads and streets, and in all towns and villages this is still the responsibility of the local authority, and it is not our intention to threaten anyone’s job.’

Beach Buddies, sponsored by FIM Capital, meets weekly to tidy the island. For more information, contact Bill Dale on www.beachbuddies.net, [email protected] or 496560.