The Faroe Islands, a group of volcanic islands in the North Atlantic, will be closed to tourists for one weekend in April for a big clean-up.

Located halfway between Iceland and Norway, the 18-island archipelago attracts 100,000 visitors a year and growing due to the dramatic scenery, waterfalls and a population of 50,000 people outnumbered by sheep.

As a result, the fragile natural environment in some popular tourist spots have felt the effects of the increase in visitors.

In order to ensure the islands remain pristine, with sustainability being the goal, volunteers are being invited to a maintenance weekend.

At the end of April, around 100 visitors will be able to join forces with the Faroese Maintenance Crew and work with locals to offer a helping hand.

The three-day work period includes free board and lodging and a party to celebrate everybody’s efforts.

Gudrid Hojgaard, head of the local tourist board, is behind the idea and said on Wednesday that “tourism is not all about numbers,” and that “our aim is to preserve and protect the islands”.

Ms Hojgaard and her team initially went on a mission to attract people to the Faroe Islands, and came up with a successful campaign entitled Sheep View in 2016.

The campaign featured sheep running around the islands with a camera strapped to their backs in a bid to persuade Google to include the islands in its Street View facility, which worked.

Last year, the team came up with another viral campaign which included residents translating phrases live to people all over the world who wanted to hear a local speaking in Faroese.

As well as successful tourist campaigns, hikers and bird-watchers have long been drawn to the islands’ mountains, valleys and steep coastal cliffs that are home to an abundance of birdlife.

The windy islands, which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark, are connected to the mainland by road tunnels, ferries, causeways and bridges.

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