A group dedicated to reducing the amount of plastic is being launched next week.

Plastic Free Deal is part of a national scheme started by the Surfers Against Sewage environmental organisation.

Locally the campaign is backed by Deal’s local community green group Deal With It.

Helen Matthews, of Plastic Free Deal said: “Like many people we were inspired by David Attenborough’s TV programme The Blue Planet last year and the impact of plastic on the health of our oceans.

"We want to take practical steps to recycle and reuse and refuse single use plastic in the town.

"The idea is to get businesses, individuals, community organisations and local authorities to make a pledge to ditch three items of single use plastic to get the ball rolling."

Surfers Against Sewage has set up a national accreditation scheme at coastal communities, Plastic Free Coastlines.

So far around the country a dozen towns, including Penzance, have gained accreditation.

In Kent there are similar groups in Faversham, Whitstable, Margate and Ramsgate.

Plastic Free Deal is being launched with a week of activities starting with a beach clean at Sandown Castle from 9.30am tomorrow (Sunday) and another one at Walmer Castle at the same time the next day.

A reduce plastic stall will be put up in Deal High Street from 10am to noon next Tuesday to Friday, April 20. It will show what people can do to reduce the use of plastic at home and pledge to do their best to cut single use containers.

A history talk will be given by Roisin Murray telling of how people lived before plastic.

The event, called Pre-plastic Fantastic, is from 5.30pm to 6.30pm on Thursday, April 19 at Smugglers Records, King Street, Deal.

That same day, from 7pm, Brian Rumbelow of Dover District Council's waste department will give a talk called Where Does All the Plastic Go. This is at Deal Town Hall in the High Street from 7pm.

On Friday, April 20, campaigners will discuss with local business people on how they can reduce single use plastic.

Finally a ditch plastic workshops takes place involving the making of non-plastic bags, pots and boxes. This is from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday, April 21, at the Landmark Garden in Deal High Street.

For further details see the Facebook page PlasticFreeDeal or the Twitter account @PlasticFreeDeal.

You can also email plasticfreedeal@gmail.com, or visit the website plasticfreedeal.org.uk or phone 01304 372673.