Croydon Council splashed out £1,500 on t-shirts to sell at Surrey Street market - but shifted just 29. 

The garments, on sale for £3.50 alongside tote bags priced at £1, bear the slogan "Don't Mess With Croydon", the name of the council's campaign against fly-tipping. 

It ordered 250 t-shirts - modelled by Labour councillors at the first council meeting after May's election - and 250 bags and sold them at a stall to promote the campaign on August 16. 

If all had been snapped up, the council would still have made a loss of £445.

In reality, it sold only 29.

Forty-two people also signed up to be "clean and green champions", volunteers who help lead the way on environmentally friendly behaviour in their neighbourhood. 

A spokesman for Croydon Council said: "This was first and foremost an information stall to get the public involved in Don’t Mess With Croydon: Take Pride, our campaign to tackle fly-tipping.

"People were given leaflets and the chance to show their support by volunteering to become a clean and green champion.

Your Local Guardian:

Councillor Stuart Collins, cabinet member for "Clean Green Croydon", models a t-shirt

"In addition, they were able to buy a t-shirt or bag, however this was not the focus of the stall, nor was any profit made.

"All money raised will be reinvested in the campaign."

Were the t-shirts money well spent? Email robert.fisk@london.newsquest.co.uk or post a comment below.