The pensioner is waging a one-woman crusade to tidy-up the town, and has hired window cleaner Paddy Dunham for £70 to tackle the grubby bus shelters.

Sandra (67) regularly patrols Pinchbeck Road early in the mor ning to clear away rubbish, and has now flashed the cash to clean the shelters in Winfrey Avenue.

The passionate pensioner has a top pedigree when it comes to high tandards, having won the prestigious Hampton Court hanging basket competition, and has collected 462 bags of bottles, cans and
fast food packets since February.

She wants the Pinchbeck Road area to be a top class advert for people coming to the town – as she says it was when she moved in 42 years ago.

And she's willing to put her money where her mouth is.

She said: "I don't blame the council because I think their street cleaners are very good. There are only two or three and they really work their socks off.

"I can go home after three hours but when I look at the street cleaners they don't smile – they must be depressed because every time they get somewhere clean, it becomes a mess again by the next day.

"I think it needs someone like me to stand up like this."

Sandra is out seven days a week, including Christmas Day, and would also like to see the water tower given a lick of paint.

She also wants the proposed town centre drinking ban given the go ahead to improve the area's appearance.

She joined the clean-up cause after district councillor Gary Taylor appealed for help to brighten-up Spalding.

Coun Taylor paid tribute to Sandra's "quite remarkable" work and says that while hers is an "extreme" example, it shows the difference individuals can make.

Coun Taylor said: "If everybody spends a few minutes doing their own bit then it does go a long way.

"If people see a piece of litter then pick it up, rather than phone the council about it."