A retired electrician is on a mission to identify and thank a secret cleaner in his community.

Tony Osborne says the roads around Chattenden in Hoo get "showered in litter" but are then mysteriously clear the next day.

Although he briefly met a woman who was clearing the mess up, he didn't get her details and now wants to track her down.

The 72-year-old said: "The rubbish problem drives me up the wall and it is mainly from inconsiderate people who throw their waste from cars.

"But this litter soon disappears. I discovered the answer as to how this process occurs.

"There was a lady and a gentleman picking it all up. I stopped and said 'well done' to the lady when I saw her and found that they go up and down the road most days.

"She does a marvellous job. When I spoke to her she would only tell me that her name was 'Jan'.

"She also said she now struggles to keep up her routine as her husband who used to help, is too ill to continue their good work."

He said she comes every other day with a number of black sacks collecting the daily deposits of litter consisting of cans, bottles, McDonald's and other fast-food wrappers, but he's been unable to time it right to see her again.

He believes she walks more around an hour from her home in Lower Upnor, up Upchat Road to the roundabout at Kitchener Road in Chattenden.

Chattenden Lane resident Tony added: "She does this out of the goodness of her heart.

"It is a duty that needs to be done but it is not her duty, but she does it.

"She pulls herself up there every other day to pick up the rubbish someone has so carelessly thrown. That is dedication."

He believes without people like the couple the residents of their village would be "wading" through rubbish left on the grass verges.

The former business owner – who has campaigned for more bins particularly by the schools – is now on a mission to track Jan down to personally thank her and raise her profile in the community.

He said: "The people here are very pleased and want to say thank you. I do not know how many people appreciate her but I am sure they do and some are maybe not even aware of the work.

"That lady is doing wonders. We have a little, mini Agatha Christie mystery thing here, who can identify her?"

Do you know Jan? Get in touch at medway@thekmgroup.co.uk