The mum-of-three aims to persuade the people of Calverley to stop using the environmentally damaging bags and for local shops and supermarkets to provide paper bags for customers.

Have your say: Click here to email us your views on ther idea of making Calverley plastic bag free.

Lesley said: "It's been done in Hebden Bridge, which is much bigger, and I'm optimistic we can manage it.

"We have to try at least and I'd like to think that everybody else feels the same. Hopefully then we can also spread the message to neighbouring communities in Farsley and Rodley."

She has already won the support of the city council and local councillors and is now appealing for volunteers to help her promote the
campaign in the community.

She claimed: "Plastic bags take a long time to decompose and we all know the damage they do to the environment, but there are so many alternatives available now."

Mrs Bland, 35, of Woodhall Park Avenue, is urging people to always take re-usable bags when they go shopping.

She also hopes to visit the two village primary schools to talk to children about the campaign. "The younger we get them involved the better," she claimed.

Her family are a chemical-free household, have their own vegetable plot and compost heap and recycle everything they can.

Mrs Bland, whose youngsters are five, three and two, also works as a consultant for an international organisation
which produces and sells chemical-free cleaning and lifestyle products.

Local councillor and council leader, Andrew Carter, (Cons, Calverley and Farsley), said: "It is local action of this sort that can really
make a difference to improving our environment. I am delighted by this initiative and those involved know they have my support."

A Leeds City Council spokeswoman added: "We fully support her quest for Calverley to become a plastic bag-free zone.

"As part of our waste strategy we want to minimise waste in the city and we welcome such ideas from
local communities."

A spokesman for Asda, which has a store at Owlcotes in Pudsey, said they always encouraged customers
to use a bag-for-life. These cost 10p and are made from recycled plastic bags.

* Anyone who wants to help with the campaign can contact Mrs Bland on 07866 701244.