Hundreds of volunteers emerge from the sea-spray mist while combing Ninety Mile Beach for rubbish.
A clean-up on Ninety Mile Beach brought hundreds of people together and succeeded well beyond organisers' expectations, with more than a tonne of trash collected.
The idea was the brainchild of Kaitaia woman Materoa Blair, who invited the community to get involved after spending hours picking up various bits of
flotsam and jetsam she was finding on her daily walks with her dogs.
She estimated up to 200 people turned up thanks to a well-publicised campaign via newspapers, social media, local schools and businesses. Miss Blair admitted to feeling despair when she was woken about 5am on the day of the clean-up by thunder and lightning.
"I just about cried," she said. However, the weather soon cleared and the day turned out warm and fine.
The clean-up, which started at 8am and finished just before 1pm, was a huge success, she said.
