A DORSET environmental group has welcomed the Government's pledge to tackle plastic waste.

Yesterday Prime Minister Theresa May announced a new programme designed to eradicate 'avoidable' plastic waste by 2042.

Litter Free Coast and Sea, which has been working along the Dorset coast to reduce the amount of litter that ends up in the sea, said it was "a step in the right direction".

Co-ordinator Matilda Manley said: “It’s an ongoing problem in Dorset and we are working with many others to try and coordinate action to stop litter reaching our coast.

"A campaign we are working on to highlight this issue is part of our Coastal Community Funded project working with local food and drink kiosks in Bournemouth, West Bay, Weymouth and Lyme Regis to find alternative solutions to plastic food packaging."

Sister group Litter Free Dorset is also helping to address the problem throughout the county, launching a roadside litter campaign as so much plastic packaging ends up on roadside verges.

Member Craig Bowden said: “There are many small steps that we can take to reduce our own plastic use.

"Our recent Last Straw campaign asked people to ditch plastic straws as they are one of the most common single use plastic items found in their regular beach clean events.

"Swapping to paper or reusable straws is easy and we hope businesses and the public along the coast will do just that."

The problem of plastic pollution was recently highlighted in the BBC's recent series Blue Planet II.

To support the Litter Free groups visit litterfreecoastandsea.co.uk