The mum-of-three aims to persuade local residents to stop using the environmentally damaging bags and to urge local stores to provide paper bags for customers.

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She said: "I am quite pleased with the way the campaign has gone so far, but would like to get more support. There are four or five of us involved at the moment, but we all have our own families and business interests, and I want to double or even treble that number.

"I want to make a difference, but it's not going to happen overnight. I am particularly keen to hear from anyone who has ideas about how to move the campaign forward."

Mrs Bland explained that they had already run a 'Plastic is Pants' day at both Calverley C of E and Calverley Parkside Primary Schools when the children had all taken in carrier bags and made plastic pants out of them.

"The C of E School is now doing a project with their bags and I took the others to the Scrap Store in Kirkstall where I am hoping to have some sort of artwork made out of them and presented to Calverley Parkside."

The campaign had received a £750 grant from The Co-operative Group and it was hoped to use some of this to buy reusable bags, she said.

"We then want to get the children involved in decorating the bags so we can sell them."

She said the next step in the campaign was to get traders involved.

"We might have to use more money to get some bags for them to replace the plastic ones they use now. I also want to encourage people to remember to take their own bags with them when they go shopping so that eventually traders might not need to give out any at all."

* Anyone who wants to help with the campaign can contact Mrs Bland on 07866 701244 or email: lesley.bland@enjo.co.uk