A trip down memory lane: The rubbish from the 70s, 80s and 90s found by litter-pickers in Plymouth

Mars Planets from 2009, Peanut treats from the 1980s and a Twix bar from the 1980s.

A volunteer group from Plymouth who organise litter-picking trips across the city have shared some of their quirkier, more nostalgic finds from when they are out volunteering.

Sweet packaging from the 1970s, chocolate wrappers from the 1980s and plastic bags from the 1990s are all too common finds for Clean Our Patch.

The group was founded by El Clarke, who started litter picking when she had a mental health breakdown as a way to get out of the house.

What started as just the work of two people - El and her husband Ash Samuels - has now grown into a huge movement in the city made up of 43 different groups of litter-pickers.

Clean Our Patch removes between 1,500 and 2,000 bags of rubbish from Plymouth every month.

It is then burned at a 'waste to energy' incinerator which provides electricity for 33,000 homes in the city.

"You find some really cool old litter, which is always quite good fun," El said.

"Finding stuff from when I was a kid in the 90s - we found mini Smarties the other day which was brilliant and I felt like a right child again."

But despite the nostalgia, the vast amount of rubbish collected by the group is something El describes as "terrifying".

"The reality of it is that all of this stuff is not going anywhere and it never will. It's part of the mission is that we will start clearing those historic 'grot spots' as we call them."

Here are some of the oldest pieces of litter the group have found in Plymouth:

A Top Of The Pops magazine cover from 2003, Maltesers packet from the 1990s and a Dairy Milk wrapper from the early 2000s. Credit: Clean Our Patch
The group collect plenty of old crisp packets - including these two from 1990 and 2000. Credit: Clean Our Patch
These items are all believed to be from the 1980s. Credit: Clean Our Patch
The Calypso drink is from May 1991, while the milkshake is 16 years old. Credit: Clean Our Patch
These cans are from 1995 and 1996. Credit: Clean Our Patch
These pieces of litter, all from the 1990s, were found by Clean Our Patch's volunteers. Credit: Clean Our Patch
This 'freeze drink' wrapper is from the 1970s, while the Chupster ice cream is from 2002 and the Tesco bag is from 2006. Credit: Clean Our Patch
Baywatch sun lotion from the 1990s. Credit: Clean Our Patch