Hundreds of people joined forces in a massive clean-up operation of the island's coasts over the weekend.

Ten Royal Bermuda Regiment soldiers were among the teams that took time to tackle the waste blighting the country's shorelines. In a blitz on Saturday, the RBR volunteers collected more than 200lbs of trash including plastic, glass and cans in an area of Sandys between Woody's Bar and the West End Sailboat Club, near the new Boat Troop headquarters.

Divers from the Regiment's Underwater Task Force also retrieved several hundred pounds of rusted metal and machinery from the shoreline and waters.

Keep Bermuda Beautiful ran the island-wide effort as part of the annual International Coastal Clean-Up organised by global charity Ocean Conservancy, which was expected to include more than 100 countries.

About 740 people took part in 38 locations across Bermuda.

Private Delgardo Pinto, from Warwick and a member of the RBR's Guns and Assault Pioneers, said: “I volunteered because I wanted to help clean up my image as I help to clean up Bermuda.”

The 30-year-old Watlington Waterworks employee added: “I was amazed at how much trash was out there. It was crazy.

“I found a lot of bottles, a car wheel and tyre, crates, ropes, a whole lot of stuff.”

Private Kojo Darrell, from Pembroke, said: “I want to join the Boat Troop. I like doing volunteer work and it's a good thing to get on your record.”

The 19-year-old, who works in an administrative role in his sister's Ahir Am I beauty salon in Hamilton's Court Street, added: “It's also a good way to show your commitment and it's helping to clean up my home as well.”

RBR Director of Music Major Dwight Robinson, who is acting chairman of the Regiment's underwater task force, said: “We're very grateful to the soldiers who came out.

“There are any number of things they could be doing on a Saturday morning. To help make Bermuda just a bit cleaner is a great thing to do and we appreciate their efforts.”

He added: “It also demonstrates the diversity of skills the Regiment is capable of and underscores that we're not just bombs and bullets. The soldiers here came from across the battalion, not just the divers.

“We are a member of the community — we do whatever we can do to advance that community and we offer support in a number of areas.”