SEVEN students cleaned a Portland beach as part of their International Baccalaureate course.

The teens from the Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester organised a day at Chesil Beach to pick up rubbish as part of their community volunteer work.

They have to complete 50 hours of service work in the community for their International Baccalaureate course.

Student Roisin McKenna, aged 17, of Portland, organised for the students to go down to the beach.

She spoke to Weymouth and Port-land Borough Council and arranged for the litter to be taken away for recycling at the end of the day.

She said: “I think the day was beneficial not only for the wildlife but for people visiting Portland.”

The litter pick will give the students volunteering hours towards their diploma.

The seven-strong group braved chilly weather to spend a day on the beach near the Cove Inn at Chiswell.

They collected plastic bottles, metal barbecue grills, plastic wrappers and fishing debris.

Jennifer Palmer, from Weymouth, said: “There was quite a lot of litter in a small area and we got a lot of it in a short space of time.

“If there was another opportunity we would go back and do it again.

“It was definitely worth it.”

At the end of the day, the students had collected 22 bags of rubbish.

Dorchester student Sarah Topper, 17, said: “I had a really enjoyable time and it opened my eyes to the amount of waste that is left on our beaches.”

She added: “I take my hat off to those who regularly give their time to do this kind of work. It’s not always easy but it is rewarding.”

n catherine.bolado@dorsetecho.co.uk