Now that's a Marathon effort! Litter team find sweet wrappers and drinks cans dating from the 1980s after trimming a hedge back... including a wrapper for the chocolate bar that became Snickers
- The vintage wrappers and drinks cans were discovered hidden in a bush in Essex
- The old 'Marathon' chocolate bars were rebranded to 'Snickers' in 1990 by Mars
A collection of vintage chocolate wrappers and drinks cans dating back to the 1980s have been unearthed by a group of litter-pickers.
The 35-year-old items were discovered by volunteers from the Wickford Wombles litter picking team in Essex after a hedge was trimmed back.
Among the rubbish was an old wrapper from a Marathon chocolate bar - now known as Snickers - and a number Pepsi cans from 1988.
Tracey Menzies, founder of the group said it was 'unfortunately not unusual' that the rubbish had not degraded over time.
She told the BBC: 'It's sad to find them - but it's also good to find them, to dispose of them properly after all this time.'
The battered-looking wrapper of the old Marathon bar was found hidden under a hedge in Essex by a litter picking team
The group also uncovered a number of old drinks cans - with one dating back to June 1988
Marathon bars were rebranded to Snickers in the UK and Ireland in 1990. The retro chocolate wrapping returned briefly in 2019.
Meanwhile, the Pepsi can uncovered in Essex dated back to June 1988, meaning it could have been stuck in the bush for almost 35 years.
The discoveries come amid concern about how much plastic waste is left in the UK, with growing fears about the amount of packaging still in relatively good condition and not appearing to have degraded at all.
In 2021 it is estimated that the UK produced 21 million tonnes of plastic packaging waste. Globally, the UK is believed to be the fifth-largest producer of single-use plastic waste.
'We have the capability to dispose of this rubbish correctly - but we choose not to,' said Miss Menzies, who warned her group was finding more vintage plastic items each year.
Last week a mother from Plymouth, Devon, was left stunned after she found a Dairy Milk bar that was almost 100 years old hiding underneath her floorboards.
Emma Young, from Plymouth, Devon, was blown away to discover a Dairy Milk bar that's nearly 100 years old hiding underneath her floorboards
Emma Young was pulling back the original flooring in her bathroom while renovating her 1930s home when she noticed what at first appeared to be some rubbish.
But when the 51-year-old grabbed it and brushed the dust away, she unearthed a 'beautiful' rectangular cardboard sleeve with Cadbury's distinctive purple packaging.
The inquisitive mother-of-two didn't recognise it, so reached out to the confectionery company to find out more and was stunned to find out it was produced between 1930-1934.
It had hit Britain's shelves and found its way into her home when King George V was monarch, Ramsay MacDonald was prime minister, and at a time when a chocolate bar cost just 6 pence.
The chocolate lover said there was no 'treasure' inside and given her home was built in 1932, she suspects it was eaten by a builder who then discarded the packaging.
Despite being nearly a century old, the communications consultant said it's in 'pristine' condition and it's currently residing on her mantlepiece, but she's hoping to have it framed and displayed.
Most watched News videos
- Russia: Nuclear weapons in Poland would become targets in wider war
- Prince Harry presents a Soldier of the Year award to US combat medic
- 'Dine-and-dashers' confronted by staff after 'trying to do a runner'
- Moment Met Police officer tasers aggressive dog at Wembley Stadium
- Boris Johnson: Time to kick out London's do-nothing Mayor Sadiq Khan
- BREAKING: King Charles to return to public duties Palace announces
- Wills' rockstar reception! Prince of Wales greeted with huge cheers
- Shocking moment pandas attack zookeeper in front of onlookers
- Don't mess with Grandad! Pensioner fights back against pickpockets
- Humza Yousaf insists he will not resign as pressure builds
- Ashley Judd shames decision to overturn Weinstein rape conviction
- Shocking moment British woman is punched by Thai security guard