OFFICE workers have cleared hundreds of cigarette butts from the street after the litter problem was highlighted in the Daily Echo.

Staff from Nationwide on Richmond Hill were seen removing the litter from the pavement and from the wall at the junction of Richmond Hill and St Stephen's Road.

But minutes later more staff emerged from their offices and discarded cigarette butts where their colleagues had just cleared up.

The problem was highlighted after Litter Free Dorset launched its Bin Your Butts campaign.

Its campaign is focussed on Ferndown and Swanage, perceived to be problem areas, but the issue appears to be widespread.

In August 69 fixed penalty tickets of £80 were handed out to smokers for dropping cigarette ends in Bournemouth alone.