FOR A charity which became famous for parading a giant, inflatable lump of sewage around in protest against our filthy seas, Surfers Against Sewage have come a long way.

So much so that the organisation - which has a strong Dorset presence - has now received the Royal seal of approval after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose them as one of seven charities which will benefit from their wedding gift money.

In a statement Kensington Palace said the royal couple had chosen charities which represent a 'range of issues they are passionate about'.

"Prince Harry and Ms. Markle do not have any formal relationships with the charities chosen," said the Palace. "Many of these are small charities, and the couple are pleased to be able to amplify and shine a light on their work."

However, the Prince and his older brother have been filmed riding the waves in Cornwall.

Bournemouth-based SAS rep Ally Cattaneo said she was 'delighted' with the news. "Our campaign for plastic-free oceans is going really well and it's great that Harry and Meghan have chosen to highlight our work," she said. "The way people follow the royal family will help showcase SAS to an even wider audience."

Surfers Against Sewage is a national marine conservation and campaigning charity, which says it empowers communities to take action to protect oceans, beaches, waves and wildlife.

It began life campaigning against sewage but now addresses issues from the ocean plastics problem to marine life welfare.

Hugo Tagholm, Chief Executive of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “We're thrilled to be one of the charities chosen to benefit from donations marking the wedding of Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle. We are currently focused on tackling plastic pollution and this support will help us move towards our vision of Plastic Free Coastlines.”