THE Girl Guides motto of leaving nothing behind but your thanks clearly has not been adopted by a national supermarket chain. Co-op, in Redwongs Way, Huntingdon closed on Wednesday (March 31) after it could not renew its lease on the building. But

THE Girl Guides' motto of "leaving nothing behind but your thanks" clearly has not been adopted by a national supermarket chain.

Co-op, in Redwongs Way, Huntingdon closed on Wednesday (March 31) after it could not renew its lease on the building.

But it left in its wake a large amount of paper and plastic shop packaging in trolleys and cages which have blown across the surrounding area.

These pictures were taken on Monday by Graham Marsh, 63, from nearby Thongsley, who a decade ago reclaimed the pond in Stukeley Meadows, now known as Graham's Pond.

Mr Marsh told The Hunts Post: "Saying 'I put the bins outside' is not good enough. A lot of stores in Huntingdon take responsibility for any rubbish left nearby and made sure that it is cleared up. This store never did but this is the worst that it has ever been.

"Somebody should take account for this rubbish, it'll be blown all over everyone's garden with the strong winds that we had yesterday."

A spokesman for national Co-op chain said: "The Co-operative always endeavours to be a good neighbour and we do take responsibility for taking away our rubbish.

"There may have been an issue because of Easter and we do apologise. We have now immediately taken steps to have the rubbish removed."

A spokesman for Huntingdonshire District Council said businesses, unlike residential households, were able to pay private companies to collect their waste if they wished and the Co-op in Redwongs Way was not on the council's refuse collection list.