The eight-year-old Oldham boy taking on litter battle

Thomas Stewart, who is only eight years old, is back and better than ever in his campaign against litter. 

The young boy has been litter picking around Oldham for years and was even given a special award by Greater Manchester High Sheriff recognising his work when he was just five years old. 

Thomas when he received his award from the High Sheriff aged just five (Image: Rebecca Stewart)

However, despite his work being highlighted by the High Sherriff, Thomas had to take some time off his picking ventures after people began to blame litter reappearing on him not attending the area enough, despite his young age.

Thomas' mother, Rebecca, said people would complain on social media that there was litter in places and others would respond with comments such as 'Well Thomas hasn't been coming here', which was upsetting for the family. 

But after a period off, Thomas was determined to get back out and about cleaning Oldham's streets with the majority of Oldham being grateful for his work.

A before and after from an area Thomas cleared of litter (Image: Rebecca Stewart)

Rebecca Stewart said: "He's been pestering us a lot to get out and start again.

"He's got a really big passion for it, he just wants to clean everywhere and if he sees any rubbish on the floor, he just picks it up and puts it straight in the bin.

"He's just amazing."

Thomas himself said: "I love it, it's an act of kindness."

Thomas' dad, Paul Stewart, said: "He's a diamond... I work in the Lidl in Chadderton and I've heard customers talking about Thomas to staff and friends they bump into in store, not realising I'm his dad."

Thomas has now also started clearing pathways of overgrowth (Image: Rebecca Stewart)

He even has started some landscaping duties in clearing nettles and weeds overgrowing on pathways to his friends' schools.

The newest addition to Thomas' remit started when he noticed a lot of nettles in the path to Yew Tree School, where some of his friends attend, and said he was worried they'd get stung. 

Thomas tackled this alley with nothing but scissors to clear the nettles (Image: Rebecca Stewart)

To avoid this, Thomas and his mum took to the pathway armed originally with nothing but scissors, before investing in a Thomas-sized strimmer to tackle to prickly weeds. 

Rebecca said that they have now started a GoFundMe in order to buy more equipment to help Thomas 'do more for his community'. 

She said: "He just wants to do so much more, he wants to start a community garden where he can grow and pick fruit and vegetables. 

Thomas and his young brother, Bobby, with his strimmer (Image: Rebecca Stewart)

"He wants it to be something for everyone in the community to go and help themselves and just enjoy it."

Thomas said: "It has to be for people's tea, everyone's tea- but not the fruit for tea because that's just nice for people to eat."

The GoFundMe has raised £125 of its £500 goal at the time of writing, and Rebecca said the money will mostly go towards helping pay for things like a better strimmer, nettle-proof gloves, improved litter pickers and wildflower seeds to plant in unadopted areas. 

She said she'd also like to use a small amount to treat Thomas for all of his hard work over the years.