VIDEO: Giant plastic whale makes a splash on Blackpool beach in fight against pollution

Runner up of this year’s series of Love Island Jamie Jewitt was joined by Emmerdale’s Roxanne Pallett and a huge 10m plastic whale.

The pair were in Blackpool as part of Sky Ocean Rescue’s plastic whale tour of the country, which aims to clean up the nation’s beaches.

The campaign seeks to cut plastic pollution in the sea by encouraging people to reduce the amount they use.

Tips include using refillable plastic drinks bottles and avoiding single use items like plastic bags and straws.

Sandy Luk, chief executive of the Marine Conservation Society, which is backing the campaign, said there are ‘simple changes that can have a big impact’.

“Our research repeatedly finds items such as plastic drinks bottles, wrappers and bags on UK beaches,” she added.

“So much of this has been used just once and thrown away.”

An independent survey commissioned by Sky Ocean Rescue found that 87 per cent of Brits are concerned by the UK’s plastic usage and two thirds are willing to see a similar 5p plastic bag ‘charge’ applied to other single-use plastics such as straws, bottles and cups.

The 10m whale that made a splash in Blackpool on Tuesday was made of plastic bags, bottles and other single-use plastics recovered from the ocean, beaches or recycling centres.