MINISTERS' plan to ban the sale of plastic straws and cotton buds by 2020 has been welcomed.

Defra secretary Michael Gove yesterday said an earlier consultation had shown "overwhelming" public support for the move. There will be exemptions for those with medical conditions.

A majority of Advert readers backed the ban, with 60 per cent saying it was a good idea in an online poll.

And the plastic axe has been supported by the region's water board. Richard Aylard, Thames Water sustainability director, said: “We very much welcome the announcement, particularly on plastic cotton buds which contribute to the 75,000 blockages we remove a year from our sewers.

"The plastic sticks don’t break up when flushed down the toilet so along with fat, wipes and other non-flushables they form fatbergs which can cause sewage flooding to homes, businesses and the environment.

"Those that don’t form blockages are difficult to be screened out of the sewage when it arrives at a treatment site."