The developer behind an anti-litter app has been given until today to change its name, following a trademark dispute with Instagram.

LitterGram, a free download for smartphone created by construction firm boss Danny Lucas, allows users to snap and share pictures of places where rubbish has been dropped and inform councils where to send their clean up teams.

But when social media bosses realised the similarities to the name of its popular photo-sharing app, Instagram, lawyers contacted the Tonbridge businessman asking him to change the name.

A letter from legal firm Bristows, received last month, said: "We want to emphasize that Instagram respects the outreach efforts your client has undertaken to battle litter.

"Instagram wants your client to continue to do good work, and has no intention of interfering with your client's admirable goals.

"Our client simply asks that your client transition to a unique name that does not call to mind the Instagram brand."

Responding to the letter, Mr Lucas from Higham Lane made a personal plea for Facebook, the owners of Instagram, to drop the case.

He wrote: "Your latest letter is now an even bigger shock than your previous request and the impact on us changing name would be fatal.

"We urge you to please reconsider your decision on the basis that there is a clear absence of confusion between LitterGram and Instagram."

It comes after an unsuccessful meeting with lawyers in March, at which point Mr Lucas released a video asking for Facebook's boss Mark Zuckerberg to intervene.

The dispute came about after Mr Lucas tried to trademark the LitterGram name in late 2015, which is when he was first approached by Instagram's lawyers. He agreed not to apply for the trademark but in April was instructed to drop the 'gram' part from the app's name.

But Mr Lucas believed the firm had stood down on the request, until he received the latest threat of action.

He says he does not have the funds for a legal battle and that changing the name would kill the endeavour.

Meanwhile MP for Chatham and Aylesford, Tracey Crouch, has tweeted her support for the free app.

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council are currently using LitterGram which allows users to take pictures of litter, fly-tipping or rubbish issues.

It then uses GPS to alert the local authority and a team is sent to clear the mess.