Litter collected from West Beach, Warren Bay and Helwell Bay included bottles and smaller plastic fragments as well as cans, cloth, fishing net and lines and scrap metal.
The Surfers Against Sewage campaign is organised by local volunteers with the support of the Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Somerset Brilliant Coast project.
Funded by the Hinkley Point C’s CIM fund and the National Trust, the project aims to get West Somerset coastal communities more engaged with their environment with events, walks and talks, and working with local schools on seashore activities.
Project manager Mark Ward, of Somerset Wildlife Trust, said: “To achieve plastic-free status, Watchet is forming a steering group and already has support from Watchet Town Council, WACET and the Onion Collective.”
The group will be working with local businesses and other community groups to encourage them to move away from single-use plastic products and seek better alternatives.
It will also work with local schools who can apply to become plastic free, and will be organising more beach cleans and other awareness-raising events over the coming months.
To find out more or to volunteer to join the campaign, contact Mark at mark.ward@
somersetwildlife.org
More photos and full report in tomorrow’s Free Press.