COASTAL communities in Dorset are being urged to join the campaign against plastic pollution on beaches this winter.

Environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) is calling for 300 ‘beach clean leaders’ across the country to volunteer to organise a beach clean in their area between Monday, October 23, and Sunday, October 29.

Each year, residents in coastal areas brace themselves for the winter weather conditions that create a ‘storm’ of plastic pollution across beaches, and SAS's Autumn Beach Clean hopes to tackle the issue throughout the season this year.

SAS says that as summer's tourism comes to an end, the health of the coastline can slip from the public's mind. It adds that hundreds of species of marine wildlife are affected by plastic pollution, with millions of animals from seabirds to seals dying every year through entanglement, injury, drowning and starvation.

The beach clean aims to bring beach lovers together and inspire coastal communities to take action to create plastic-free coastlines to protect their wildlife and environment.

Dom Ferris, head of community and engagement at SAS, said: “It is in the face of such overwhelming odds that the sacrifice and passion of the 16,000 autumn beach clean volunteers who have joined SAS to remove 43 tonnes of marine debris from 612 beaches since 2011 shines."

SAS has partnered with The Crown Estate, Greggs, Parley For The Oceans and Ecover to campaign for the cause.

Tom Domen, of Ecover, said: "We are delighted to continue in our support of Surfers Against Sewage whose cause is so closely aligned to our own. This event provides a fantastic opportunity for families and communities to come together to protect our precious coastlines."

To plan an autumn beach clean, residents are asked to scout their nearest coastline to see how it is affected by plastic pollution, and contact SAS at beachcleans@sas.org.uk or on 01872 553001 to register.