An artist is raising awareness about the amount of microplastics washing up on Kent beaches by “turning trash into treasure”.

Vicki Hay, who lives opposite the marshland in Queenborough, left her 9 to 5 job to collect shells and sea glass to create and sell jewellery.

However, since she began searching Sheppey’s shores for the trinkets two years ago, she has noticed an alarming increase of waste washing up along the area’s coastline over the last couple of years.

The 43-year-old said: “Whilst collecting shells, driftwood and sea glass I would always pick up rubbish as I went along.

“Rubbish around the Island is really bad, especially with the illegal dumping which is happening.

“So when I began to see the amount of microplastic increasing on the beaches I thought I could use the bright-coloured pieces in my artwork.”

Vicki began her artistic journey by turning resin, a synthetic material which can be poured into moulds and hardened, into memorials by incorporating the material with loved-ones ashes.

The mum-of-one explained: “I do get some stick about using resin as it is also a plastic but it is biodegradable in the long run.

“I was also using resin for my job and artwork before I began cleaning up Sheppey’s beaches so I feel that now I am being productive by using resin for my art and looking after the environment at the same time.”

Vicki, who has had stalls selling her jewellery and keepsakes at Queenborough Market and Leysdown Carnival, recently decided to help people visualise the environmental issue the Isle of Sheppey is facing by making a fish full of plastic she found by Sheerness Beach.

She said: “I had the mould of the fish and I wasn’t sure what to do with it. But after seeing the bag of plastic I had collected I thought I had the opportunity to share a good message.

“If everyone who goes to the beach not only took their rubbish home but other bits laying about the Island would look like such a better place.

“It seems that barely anyone goes out their to pick up other people’s rubbish but all people need to do is go along with a bag and pick up litter they might come across.

“We teach our children to pick up shells and respect rockpools but we don’t teach them enough about picking up rubbish.

“I hope my artwork will get people to actively see their beach and look after it.”

Vicki hopes to make two more of the plastic filled fish and mount them onto drift wood to make a bigger statement piece.

She added: “We have such gorgeous beaches on this Island but sadly some people don’t get that and it breaks my heart.”

Last week the KentOnline reported about the amount of rubbish and building waste being dumped yet again at Eastchurch Gap.

The illegal tipping site was first reported three years ago and despite numerous enquiries with the Enviroment Agency and Kent County Council the area is still a hotspot for rubbish.

However, although just as awful, Vicki has warned it isn’t the larger pieces of litter that are the real issue, it’s the microplastics hiding amongst the shingle.

According to the National Ocean Service most plastics in the ocean break up into very small particles and this is what creates microplastics.

Vicki said: “Microplastics are the bigger issue because they are what the fish eat. And in turn we eat the fish which means we are also full of microplastics.

“Microplastics are everywhere and microplastics are the tiny bits that people don’t pick up.

“That is why I use it in my jewellery and it’s why I made my fish art piece so more people understand what micoplastics are and how to stop the issue.

“I love Sheppey, I moved here in 2007 and have hunted for treasures ever since.

“I hope my art is making a positive from a negative by turning trash into treasure.”

To find out more about Vicki’s work visit Manor road art studios on Facebook.