IT'S the final straw.

Actually, its the final 70 million straws: pub giant Wetherspoons has announced has announced that from the end of this year, it is to stop using plastic straws across its 900 pubs in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

In addition, and with immediate effect, plastic straws will no longer be automatically added to drink, although they will still be available on request for the next three months.

That includes its three Oxford pubs The Swan and Castle, the William Morris, and the Four Candles in George Street.

Four Candles general manager Siobhan Finnegan said she had welcomed the news, adding: "Anything that's good for the environment is a good thing."

The new rules will also apply to the rest of Wetherspoons' Oxfordshire estate – The Narrows in Abingdon, Company of Weavers in Witney and the Penny Black in Bicester.

From January, the entire chain, which currently uses 70 million straws every year, will start using biodegradable paper straws.

Chief executive John Hutson said: "These changes are part of an overall commitment from the company to reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste produced."

The announcement follows the same pledge from Oxfordshire's Oakman Inns, which runs the Crown and Thistle in Abingdon, the Blue Boar in Witney and Wallingford’s Old Post Office, in April this year.