Campaigners determined to Ban the Bag in Deal took their protest to the town centre on Saturday.

Members of the Deal With It environmental group gave away their home-made cloth carriers and also handed out letters to be sent to top politicians.

Deal MP Gwyn Prosser and Cllr Mike Eddy, county councillor, joined the protest in the High Street and backed the Ban the Bag call.

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Caro Wilkinson, publicity officer for Deal With It, said: "There was a very positive response to our bag event. Not only were the 50-odd home-made cloth bags snapped up with enthusiasm, but within one hour 216 signatures were collected for the letter to Gordon Brown, urging him to put a tax on all plastic carriers immediately.

"Deal With It has also received a supportive letter from Sir Stuart Rose, chief executive of Marks & Spencer, responding to our request to have a charge put on non-food plastic carriers as well as food bags."

The correspondence highlights the Deal campaign to "vigorously" make the town plastic bag free, but said individuals and community action could only take matters so far.

Letter writers called for the next step to be the responsibility of the Government, especially to institute a tax on plastic bags as soon as possible as voluntary action could not be enough.