Plastic pollution: 'Scourge' of debris on beaches tackled

The Environment Agency (EA) has started checking more than 500 beaches weekly as part of a government pledge to eradicate avoidable plastics by 2042.

EA officers are carrying out the monitoring alongside their water quality sampling.

The agency said the checks would "give another level of detail" on the "scourge of plastics" on beaches.

A dedicated team has been formed, based in the south west but covering the entire coast of England.