A scientist has launched an innovative campaign to make Chester the first ‘straw free’ city in the UK.

Dr Christian Dunn hopes to convince businesses and the people of Chester to stop using disposable plastic drinking straws in an effort to help the environment.

The lecturer and scientist from Hoole, is working closely with Chester Conservatives and says the #StrawFreeChester campaign will be the first of its kind in the UK.

“We want everyone in the city to realise what a complete waste using a plastic drinking straw is, and we need their support to get the ball rolling,” said Dr Dunn, who works at Bangor University, and has estimated that Chester uses 300,000 straws a day.

“You use a straw for about 20 minutes to drink your coke or gin and tonic and then it goes straight in the bin.

“But that little drinking straw will stick around for hundreds of years because most of the plastic we use simply gets dumped into landfill, and plastic doesn’t break down like cardboard or paper.

“What’s worse is that lots of plastic finds its way into our natural habitats, especially the seas and oceans where it can cause horrendous harm.

“In fact some research has shown that plastic waste causes the death of up to one million seabirds, 100,000 marine mammals and countless fish every year.

“Plus, tiny fragments of plastic can find their way into the food chain and even end-up on our dinner plates.

“I’m calling on the people of Chester to think twice about the plastic products they use and an ideal way to start this is saying no to using disposable drinking straws.”

Throwing their full support behind the #StrawFreeChester campaign are Chester Conservatives.

Upton councillor Jill Houlbrook said: “This is an incredibly worthwhile campaign and it would be fantastic if Chester could be the first UK city to turn its back on plastic drinking straws.

“It’s so straightforward to get involved, if you’re a business that serves drinks only give out a straw if the customer asks for one and if you’re a customer please only ask for a straw if you really need one – that’s it, so let’s see where it leads.”