RESIDENTS in Thurrock have been thanked for their welcome and generosity towards a Eco campaigner who passed through the region as part of a nationwide project with particular praise for borough man Keith Harrington and his wife Glynis.

Wayne Dixon is about to enter the fourth year of a lifelong dream of walking the whole UK coastline. During his journey, which will total 7,000 miles on completion, he has been litter picking and raising awareness of the dangers of rubbish with every step.

He is accompanied by his dog, Koda, is part of the inspiration for his epic litter pick – an injury caused by a discarded can when he was younger almost cost Koda his leg. But hundreds of pounds of vets' bills later, Koda is recovered and fit for the walk.

In December Wayne arrived in Thurrock where he says he was swept away on a tidal wave of support.

Passing through the borough on a leg of his walk from Rainham to Southend Wayne says: "It was non-stop with clean ups, beach cleans and people walking with me every day.

"This was mainly down to Keith who rallied everyone together providing accommodation and support. A huge thank-you is due to Keith and his wife Glynis for putting us up for a few days, as did their friends and neighbours Clive and Sheila and Martin and his lovely wife (sorry I've forgotten her name).

"Keith, Glynis, Clive and Sheila live at the Willows near Tilbury and are doing amazing things in the community.

"They are litter picking an area that is quite bad so we did a clean-up, collecting lots of bottles of per and lots of abandoned traffic cones.

"Keith is collecting empty nitric cannisters, he's a few hundred of them bow and looking in to how to recycle them. Keith has found a scrap yard that will take them and the money he gets can either go to a charity or could be used to fund litter kit or other community projects .

"Keith, Glynis, Clive and Sheila have also started on a community project. There is some abandoned land between the allotments and a playing field. It was overgrown with rambles, ivy and a lot of fly tipping.

"The land is council-owned and they've been given permission to create a community garden. The council have fenced and gated it off for them and since August they've cut the rambles down and created a lovely space with a lot of potential.

"I love stuff like this. All across the UK there is lots of land (council owned) and just left but like this one, some of them with council permission and some enthusiastic volunteers are able to be transform.

"Keith and Co are doing wonders with some of the issues in the local community including problems with lorries and their drivers, who litter. Keith also linked me in with volunteers from #Thames21 and we've done a few beach cleans.

"Keith also got me into his grandchildren's school in Tilbury and I'm hoping to do another school. there in the new year.

"Here's also a big thank-you to Jimmy and family, owners of the post office for their donation and Koda treats.

"Thank-you so much to all for the accommodation and all the support in Thurrock."

You can learn more about Wayne's long walk via the red button below.