An Inverness community has rallied to clean up their neighbourhood after it was repeatedly targeted by vandals.
Volunteers lifted more than 20 bags full of rubbish from the Culloden Avenue path and the surrounding area at the weekend.
They also helped clean vulgar graffiti from various landmarks and benches along the popular trail, which links Tower Road at Smithton to Culloden House Hotel.
It was deemed such a success that its organisers are now planning to make it a regular event in various areas across the Culloden and Smithton area.
The Press and Journal previously revealed how residents in the heavily populated area were fed up with anti-social behaviour in the community.
Culloden Avenue has been particularly badly affected with local community council leader David McGrath branding vandalism in the area “sacrilege”.
The path has a number of wood carvings, including one well known of popular children’s book character the Gruffalo, which had helped attract new visitors to the area.
Saturday’s clean up was organised a group of local volunteers, including Ullie Wenzel, community engagement officer for the Culloden and Smithton Local People Programme.
She said: “It was a really successful and positive first clean up event.
“We chose Culloden Avenue because it links the communities of Smithton and Culloden and it is really important to people.
“There has been a few problems with graffiti and litter there so it was good to be able to help clean up the area a bit.”
As well as cleaning graffiti off the benches and carvings, the group of around 15 volunteers managed to cut back some overgrowing vegetation to clear up the avenue.
Several passers-by also stopped at a gazebo set up close to the underpass where Culloden Avenue passes under Barn Church Road, and offered suggestions as to how the clean-up could be rolled out across the area on the eastern edge of Inverness.
Ms Wenzel added: “It was lovely to have those local conversations too and share news and get feedback on other local issues at the same time.
“We had about 15 people helping out, not counting those, who stopped to chat and engage with us and put their names down for future events.
“Feedback has been hugely positive – both on the day and on social media afterwards.
“I think this will grow into something much bigger and of much benefit to the communities of Smithton and Culloden.”