It's time for action on plastics blighting our beaches.

That was the message from Alex Mayer, Labour's Euro MEP for the East of England, ahead of a vote in the European Parliament to cut plastic waste.

Last Friday, October 19, local people joined Alex Mayer on the beach at Lowestoft for a two minute beach clean.

The 'two minute beach clean' started in the winter of 2013 after a series of storms left beaches across the UK littered with plastics.

While just two minutes might seem insignificant every piece of plastic removed is no longer a danger to marine life.

Alex Mayer MEP said: 'This half term Lowestoft beaches are spick and span, thanks in part to local people helping out on litter picks.

'But the real solution is to cut plastic waste and as litter can travel by sea thousands of miles it makes sense to reduce plastics as a continent.

'I'll be voting for new rules to cut single use plastics and letting everyone in the European Parliament know about the excellent work being done here in Lowestoft.'