Meet the duo who have helped to keep Sheffield clean for decades

Street cleaners Raymond Hurst (left) and Tony Tomlinson (right).

Meet Raymond Hurst and Tony Tomlinson, who don their hi-viz jackets and litter pickers to clean up our streets from 6.30am every morning - the same as they have done for the last 30 years.

The duo both work as street cleaning operatives for Sheffield Council contractor Amey and have worked on The Moor together every weekday for the last 18 months.

The duo have worked together on The Moor for the last 18 months.

They have seen it transform into a thriving city centre retail and leisure venue with the addition of the Moor Market, Primark and The Light cinema.

But as for whether the redevelopment has led to an increase in footfall, Tony, 54, of Charnock, said: "There are definitely more people about and we've really noticed it over the past few months.

"We notice that there are more people around because it leads to more litter and more work for us but it's certainly changed a lot while we've been here.

"Sometimes it can be a bit quieter but it seems to be very busy on Fridays."

Work is currently underway on the old McDonalds and Woolworths block and last year The Light cinema and leisure complex, which includes Pizza Express, Zizzi, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Nando's.nandios

Amanda Phillips, centre manager of The Moor, said footfall was up 19 per cent in 2017 compared to 2016 and Raymond and Tony said they'd certainly noticed a difference.

Raymond, 61, from Manor, said: "It's changed an awful lot on The Moor. We have got the cinema now and that's changed everything as well.

"We work 6.30am until 3pm Monday to Thursday and finish at 12.30pm on a Friday and we absolutely love what we do.

"We often get people stop us for a chat and love speaking to people."

The duo are part of a team of 26 street cleaners who work in the city centre. They work side-by-side everyday on The Moor and have made it 'their patch'.

Jeanette Bullivant, Amey's highways supervisor and Raymond and Tony's manager, said the duo were 'wonderful guys'.

She said: "There is a lot going off and a lot of retail being developed. We've been told that footfall is up 25 per cent so far this year and as street cleaners we feel it more than anybody.

"Every corner you turn in the city centre there is something happening. We have had to adapt that everything that's happening and I think we have.

"Raymond and Tony are fantastic and we've got a great team that's been able to adapt.