A Hollywood star’s visit to Rainham is featured in a Netflix documentary series out this week.

Zac Efron, who had roles in hit films like The Greatest Showman and High School Musical, helped to clean up land along the Thames Estuary in September 2018.

The actor picked up litter at the Concrete Barges along with volunteers from Thames21, an environmental charity that called the location “a plastic waste hotspot”.

Among the items the charity says form “huge plastic carpets” there include single-use bottles, cotton buds and food containers which wash up on the strandline at high tide.

A Thames21 spokesperson said it has compiled a Thames Plastic Pollution report, which discusses the impact of plastic on natural sites to the east of London and its collection on saltmarsh land like the Concrete Barges.

Chris Coode, the charity’s deputy chief executive, claimed that there is a lot of plastic in saltmarsh habitats along the Thames.

He added: “These areas are key green spaces for Londoners and important nursery grounds for fish and birds.”

Zac’s Rainham appearance is part of Down to Earth, out on July 10, a travel show which sees him venture around the world with a wellness expert in search of healthy and sustainable ways of living.

Havering Council leader Damian White thanked Zac and his team for helping the borough.

Cllr White said: “It is a wonderful demonstration that whether you’re a Hollywood star, or a local resident, we’re all in this together to keep Havering a cleaner, safer, prouder borough.

“Not only will the documentary demonstrate the very real issue of plastic pollution, but hopefully also highlight the fantastic work our community groups do to keep Havering clean and tidy.”

Zac is not the first A-list star to come to the town - with actor Tom Hardy filming for BBC series A Christmas Carol at Rainham Hall last year.

Cllr White added: “It is always exciting to welcome famous faces to our borough, especially as it often gives us a chance to show off the very best of Havering’s historic and cultural locations.”

To watch the trailer for Down to Earth with Zac Efron, go to youtu.be/oMzYiY5wcHU.