Dramatic rise in plastic seabed litter around UK

Average of 358 items per square kilometre found in 2016, of which more than three-quarters were plastic

There has been a dramatic rise in the amount of litter found on the seabed around Britain, according to new government data.

An average of 358 litter items were found per square kilometre of seabed in 2016, a 158% rise on the previous year, and 222% higher than the average for 1992-94.