The Clean Up Kent campaign has been overwhelmingly backed by our readers.

You have been emailing in and tweeting us pictures of grotspots in an effort to shame Kent’s litter louts and to make sure this county remains the Garden of England.

The campaign, launched by the KM Group last week, has also been backed by the Keep Britain Tidy charity.

Spokesman Helen Bingham said: “It’s a huge problem. It’s a problem for councils, the Highways Agency, for people and for wildlife too.

“Our roads are not one giant litter bin.

“Across the country the problem of cleaning up litter costs us billions of pounds a year – and part of that is cleaning up the sides of the roads" - Helen Bingham, Keep Britain Tidy

“Across the country the problem of cleaning up litter costs us billions of pounds a year – and part of that is cleaning up the sides of the roads.

“Really it’s one of the most simple things in the world – if you’re in a car, keep your rubbish in your car.

“It’s not bothering you, you are not weighed down by it.

“Just keep it with you and when you get home put it in a bin. It’s really simple.”

Litter is not just unsightly, it also causes real problems for wildlife.

Helen added: “The RSCPA treats about 7,000 animals a year injured by litter and that’s just the ones they see.

“But all those hedgehogs and the small creatures that live in our hedgerows can be really badly damaged or even killed by litter.”

Many of those who contacted us have blamed foreign lorry drivers for the mess that can be found in our lay-bys.

Helen said: “There is a case for looking at what facilities are in place but it still comes down to behaving responsibly.

“I was totally shocked and disgusted with the amount of litter on our road verges, as I had not seen anything like it before" - Sarah Wilson from Sandwich

“We want people to have a good impression of Kent but also to remind people who visit that they have a responsibility to look after it as well. It’s about messaging, enforcement and education.

“I’d like to see the campaign make a measurable difference so when people drive through the county they think this is a clean and tidy place where people care.”

Simon Pordage from Laurel Walk in Rainham sent us pictures of the mess on Blue Bell Hill.

He is disgusted by the ‘sheer laziness and disrespect these people have for their environment’ and suggests surveillance cameras to record offences and the number plates of the offenders, heavy fines and points on motorists’ licences.

Gerrard Ferris from Ashford says the whole of the M20 and most roadside verges in the town are littered with plastic bags, packaging and drinks containers.

He says local councils should pay a reward for every kilo of litter collected by volunteers, except on motorways.

Anita Adams recently made a trip from Margate to Swanley on a Sunday morning and was appalled by the amount of rubbish strewn along the roadside and hedges on the A299 Thanet Way.

She says people who have been sentenced to unpaid work by court should be made to clean up our roadsides. Priscilla Copsey has lived in the Weald of Kent all of her life says the litter problem is getting worse.

She says the rubbish accumulates in certain spots close to petrol stations and convenience stores and thinks we ought to try and catch the offenders on camera.

Mike Stephenson says Lydden Hill on the A2 outside Dover is definitely a grotspot.

He said: “The litter on the verges and at the top of the hill are a major eyesore.”

Sarah Wilson from Sandwich said most of east Kent’s roads are full of litter.

She said: “I moved from London to Sandwich back in August.

“I was totally shocked and disgusted with the amount of litter on our road verges, as I had not seen anything like it before.

“It made me very sad that such a simple fundamental task was simply not being carried out on a regular basis.

“I have constantly been contacting the relevenat local councils, councillors and MPs to complain about the litter and to ask for it to be cleared up.”

Get in touch by emailing cleanup kent@thekmgroup.co.uk, tweet using the hashtag #cleanupkent or comment on our Facebook page - search for Clean Up Kent.