COMMUNITY clean-ups are kicking off all over the city as groups and businesses get behind our Streets Ahead campaign.

Staff at McDonald's restaurants took to the streets to tackle litter in Anderston ­yesterday, while volunteers in Hillhead spent several hours clearing Kelvingrove Park and the surrounding area.

Melanie Harrison, business manager of McDonald's Pollok- shaws, explained why the firm was keen to get involved. She said: "McDonald's is proud of its record helping communities clear up their streets and we're delighted already to have won Streets Ahead awards.

"Everyone was great in ­Anderston - we worked with Councillor Philip Braat and three local schools, plus Clean Glasgow and Keep Scotland Beautiful to make it work."

Volunteers, including ­pupils from the Glasgow Gaelic School, Anderston ­Primary and St Patrick's Primary, collected more than 50 bags of litter.

Ultimate Soccer provided a free fun day for the children afterwards.

Councillor Braat said: "We want to instill pride in our communities and hope that people will look after them.

"Today's event was a great success and showed that if people pull together we really can make a difference."

In the West End, Action Hillhead organised a litter pick in their local area.

The group's founder Eric Kay, who is also chairman of the Gibson Street, Otago Street and Westbank Quadrant Triangle community group, said: "When we launched Action Hillhead it was with the desire to change attitudes towards litter. We wanted the community to work together to combat littering.

"The wonderful way the city looked during the Commonwealth Games was a credit to us all and Action Hillhead hopes to sustain that level of civic pride.

"There is a real sense of achievement among our volunteers and we hope to keep that going."

More than 50 volunteers transformed litter hotspots during the clean up.

City council leader Gordon Matheson, chairman of Streets Ahead partner Clean Glasgow, said: "Action Hillhead is a perfect example of a community taking ownership."