PUPILS at Llandudno’s Ysgol San Sior have written shipwrecked mariner style letters to the Prime Minister, the President of the United States and the Leader of the Opposition.

They asked what can be done to reduce the amount of plastic floating in the oceans, and to stress the point sent the letters in plastic bottles.

Ian Jones, headmaster of Ysgol San Sior, Llandudno said: “Our pupils did a beach clean and found a Marathon chocolate wrapper. The manufacturers of this bar of chocolate bar changed its name to Snickers 15 years ago. The wrapper had been floating in the sea since then or even earlier.

“The children couldn’t believe it, so they sent a letter to the Prime Minister in plastic bottles, in the style of a message in a bottle, asking what can be done.

“We received an answer within the week saying the letters had been passed to the Department for the Environment. They have now received a detailed from the Department response outlining the measures the government is taking, or propose, to take on plastic. Due to our pantomime and Christmas festivities, the children have not yet considered the response.”

The children also sent similar letters to Mr Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Opposition. and to Mr Donald Trump, President of the United States. We are awaiting responses to these letters.

The response from the Department of the Environment said: “It is always encouraging to receive letters from young people who are interested in protecting the environment. It is even more encouraging to read you have all been working so hard to raise awareness of the effects plastic has on the environment.

“The Government takes the effects of plastic very seriously. Earlier this year we introduced a ban on microbeads which are the tiny bits of plastic found in some cosmetic products. This will stop billions of these pieces of plastic from entering the oceans and being eaten by marine wildlife. The 5p charge on plastic bags has also been very successful and the number of bags given out by supermarkets has greatly reduced.

“We think it is very important to reduce the single use plastic items like straws, plastic drink stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds.

“We will also make it easier for people to recycle and increase the amount of plastic being recycled.”