ENOUGH rubbish to fill dozens of black bags has been collected from hedges alongside one of Swindon's busiest roads.

Kingsdown Road is currently closed for construction work on a new housing estate by Persimmon Homes.

So Stratton St Margaret Parish Council took the chance to work with the borough council to cut back and clean up the overgrown verges.

A parish spokesman said: "We took the opportunity to improve this busy road during its closure.

"We have cut back all the hedges and trees and also removed over 60 black bags full of litter and rubbish that had accumulated in the undergrowth!

"This work took five people several days to complete!

He added: "The verges here are managed by Swindon Borough Council but we were very happy to work with them on this one."

Stirling Road and part of Kingsdown Road near the junction with the Vickers roundabout are both closed to traffic until November 4.

The closures and three-way traffic light system put in place to safely redirect vehicles have caused long queues to form along Highworth Road and the A419 turnoff near The Rat Trap pub at the busiest times of the day.