50 million volunteers across 180 countries take part in World Cleanup Day

Around 50 million volunteers across 180 countries have picked up litter beside rivers, on beaches, and in forests on World Cleanup Day.

Each year eight million tons of plastic end up in the oceans, which are also where 70 per cent of the world's oxygen is generated.

In Rome, dozens of volunteers filled up bags upon bags of rubbish along the river Tiber.

"We were raised that way," one of the young volunteers said.

"We see with climate change and global warming, it's all kind of going down south, so I think it's time we all get engaged to start the real action."