Positive pregnancy test, a bag of cocaine, and a toilet among items found during road clean-up

A positive pregnancy test was among the many items John Wilkie found when he spent four months cleaning up one of the country's busiest roads.

A positive pregnancy test, cocaine and a toilet are just some of the things found by a man who has spent four months cleaning up one of the country's busiest roads.

John Wilkie decided to clean up the N13 dual carriageway at the entrance to his native Letterkenny in a bid to help its chances in the Tidy Towns competition.

But John, better-known as a karate instructor, wasn’t prepared for some of the stuff people threw away along the roadside.

Among John’s haul in recent weeks were a positive pregnancy test, a bag of cocaine, cases of beer, and a toilet.

Some of the more ‘normal’ items he came across were microwave ovens, a suite of furniture, a bag of ashes, and lots of Covid masks.

John’s crusade has netted more than 165 bags of rubbish in his bid to clean up the stretch of road.

“I joined my local Tidy Towns in 2012 after doing a bit of a clean-up in my local area and I have been involved since,” he said.

“I just like helping out and I decided if I gave the entrance to the town a good clean-up then we might have a better chance in the Tidy Towns competition.”

I have to say I was shocked by some of the things I found. It’s amazing some of the things people just throw away.

John completed his four-month clean-up at the weekend and is delighted by how the roadway now looks.

He said his litter adventure wouldn't have been possible without the help of Donegal County Council and in particular Noel O'Donnell for lifting the rubbish.

He also had a special word of thanks for Neil Blockley from Letterkenny Tidy Towns who supplied all the bags, pickers and gloves.

He said that as he gets that bit older he realises that life is about giving back through the little things.

“I don’t judge people who throw things away although I do hope that they will stop doing it one day.

I’m glad that I was able to do my bit along with so many others across the country.

"You realise as you get older that life is about the simple things and this is a simple thing that I wanted to do.

“I just hope that it has made a small difference. If we all make small differences then the world will be a better place,” he added.