A mum is setting Faversham the challenge of giving up single-use plastic for a week.

Frustrated by seeing images of plastic pollution on Blue Planet II Sally Edge, who lives in Graveney, has launched the town’s first Say No to Throwaway Plastic Week.

The campaign will run from February 18 to 24 and Ms Edge hopes that 2,000 people will join her in pledging to give up or cut down on plastic.

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The 43-year-old also wants at least a quarter of Faversham’s shops, cafes and pubs to take part by reducing the amount of plastic packaging used to sell products.

Ms Edge, a freelance English teacher, said: “Unlike other environmental problems, this just feels personal.

“You can see the connection between you and your own habits and what happens when you watch programmes like Blue Planet and see all these disturbing images, of wildlife being harmed by plastic, and think, that’s linked to me.

“I’d been wanting to do something but felt a little bit helpless.

"I thought, wouldn’t this be easier if we were all doing it together, and shops were doing it too, and my friends were doing it, and we could all support each other?

“I was flooded with enthusiasm for the idea. People from all over the world, but crucially, lots of Favershamites, saying we want to help, we want to be part of it and we want to take the challenge.”

After putting a video on Facebook outlining her plan, the idea took off and a group of 20 volunteers is now encouraging Faversham residents to sign up.

They hope the week will help people discover new ways to reduce plastic use and inspire them to continue.

Ms Edge has already begun the challenge and says it has been made much easier by increased public interest in plastic pollution.

She said: “It’s coincided with so much happening in the media and in politics on the same subject and it’s become very easy to talk to people about it.

“I think we’re doing well and we’ve got another month yet, so I’m confident we can get there.”