GEOFFREY OSBORN, of Blackawton, Totnes, writes:

On a recent visit to Slapton Sands, in the car park

near the US memorial, my wife and I witnessed a blatant

case of wanton pollution of the sea, with potentially fatal

consequences for some marine wildlife.

A number of children emerged from vehicles,

accompanied by their parents, who should have know

better, all clutching gas-filled balloons, maybe in

celebration of a birthday or suchlike.

They proceeded down to the water's edge, where

they all released their balloons, and as there was a strong

west wind blowing at the time, all the balloons sailed out

over the bay, but before long, they started one by one to

drop into the sea. Eventually they would burst and drift

down towards the seabed.

In time, some of them may well be eaten by sea

birds, marine mammals such as whales or dolphins, and

even by turtles, which occasionally occur in British waters,

as they mistake them for fish or jellyfish. In all cases,

death is likely to result.

Discarding plastic litter is bad for the environment

anywhere, but to do so into our seas is an appalling

example to set to children.

I would like to think that if the potential

consequences of their actions were explained to these

children, that they would not only refrain from doing so

ever again, but would, with their parents, think about

joining an organisation such as the Marine Conservation

Society, which does a tremendous job in raising the

profile of the need to conserve our seas and its wildlife.