The number of animals affected by plastic litter in England and Wales is at an all-time high, with incidents increasing by 22 per cent in just four years, according to new RSPCA data.

In four years the RSPCA has recorded 618 incidents of animals involved with litter in the South West - 179 of which involve plastic.

There has been a fourfold rise in seals affected by incidents involving plastic litter with 28 recorded in England and Wales in 2018 compared to just five in 2015.

Plastic litter is also a particular problem for certain water birds, with incidents in England and Wales involving geese rising from 37 to 70 and swans rising from 40 to 48 during that same four-year period. Duck photo: RSPCA