Twitter and Facebook users arrange London riot clean-up
Tuesday 9 August 2011 2:57 PM
A massive clean-up operation is getting under way in areas affected by the riots which broke out across London.
Users of Twitter and Facebook are using social networks to co-ordinate operations across the capital.
Councils in areas including Croydon, Hackney and Enfield have already sent teams out to begin the clean-up.
The Association of British Insurers said the total cost of repairing the damage could run into the tens of millions of pounds.
An account on Twitter called @riotcleanup attracted more than 18,000 followers in a matter of hours and was helping people to co-ordinate efforts.
Others were using the hashtag #riotscleanup to arrange to meet up and help clear areas around their homes.
One of these people was Lewisham resident Claire Parkinson, who has assembled a team of 20 people following disturbances in the area.
'Cleaner than usual'
Ms Parkinson said the initiative was as much about showing support for local businesses as about clearing up the damage.
"We want to see if they need any help - even if it is just getting them a cup of tea.
"We also want to show that we are not all bad - a lot of people are going to feel down after these events."
She added that Lewisham was "cleaner than usual" following the council's own operation.
In Croydon, local people were being signed up to help out with the clean-up efforts at East Croydon railway station.
Croydon Council has drafted in extra resources to help clean up areas, make businesses secure and help the community rebuild.
The council said it had already rehoused people whose homes were destroyed by fire or sealed off by the emergency services.
A spokeswoman for Hackney Council in north London said it had sent teams out "as soon as it was safe".
She added that the clean-up was "more or less finished".
In Enfield, roads closed after the riots reopened and the council's cabinet member for the environment praised street workers for their work enabling the town to reopen for business.
"This shows we will not let these criminals beat us," he said. "We will not surrender our streets to these mindless morons."
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