VOLUNTEERS have waged the war on plastic pollution with a beach-clean for World Ocean Day in West Kirby.

With the support from Environment Agency staff and Surfers Against Sewage, volunteers donned gloves, bags and litter pickers to help turn the tide against rubbish on West Kirby beach.

Held every year on June 8, World Ocean Day aims to help honour and protect oceans across the world with the theme for this year’s event being beating plastic pollution.

Around 20 bags of rubbish was collected in just three hours of the clean with unusual finds such as a scrubbing brush and a broken clay beer bottle.

The most common litter finds were fishing nets, rope and disposable cups.

Environment Agency area director Lee Rawlinson said: “Plastic not only damages our coastline and is harmful to wildlife, but it can also have a devastating effect on the quality of our bathing waters.

“Our local beaches are a fantastic resource for our community, creating happy memories and a relaxing space for both tourists and residents alike.

"However, the volume of plastic reaching our shores still remains the highest type of litter found on beaches.

“To keep our beaches sustainable, we must all play our part in keeping it clean.

"As the Environment Agency, we can focus on the big alternatives and the solutions to plastic pollution but we would encourage everyone to think about how they can cut down on their daily use of single-use plastics.

"If we don’t use them, companies won’t make them and our beaches, wildlife and natural spaces will survive and thrive.”