CAMPAIGNERS are hoping the wise words of David Attenborough will persuade businesses in a West Oxfordshire town to become more environmentally friendly.

Residents' group Sustainable Woodstock is seeking to build on the momentum gained by the broadcaster's series Blue Planet 2, which aired last year.

At a meeting in June, Woodstock Town Council resolved unanimously to back the group's efforts to rid the town of single-use plastics and Blenheim Palace has already pledged its support.

Sustainable Woodstock's next step is getting organisations on board and founder Colin Carritt hopes the Attenborough effect will have an impact.

He said: "We've had this in mind since 2010 but it's been a bit of an uphill struggle.

"It was really Blue Planet that put the issue to the forefront of the public agenda.

"We can quote David Attenborough and all the emotional language we want but all we can do is try and persuade people.

"We thought now is the opportunity to try and present it in Woodstock."

Mr Carritt, who is Sustainable Woodstock's vice-chair, has dedicated considerable time to several initiatives since setting up the group in 2009.

The group created a community orchard and holding regular 'swap shops' for residents to trade items that would otherwise be sent to landfill.

One of Sustainable Woodstock's biggest successes has been its home-made long-life bags, with more than 1,000 sold in local retailers to date.

This has helped reduce the town's volume of plastic bags, which, like straws and water bottles, are counted as a single-use plastic.

Town councillors Elizabeth Poskitt and Matthew Parkinson are assisting the campaign and it is a particularly important cause for the latter.

Mr Parkinson is a chef at Woodstock's The Star Inn and admits his industry could be the toughest nut to crack.

He said: "The biggest trade in Woodstock is catering, pubs and restaurants and that involves a lot of packaging.

"Working in my trade means that's the place to start, talking to suppliers and getting them to use less plastic.

"It's only a start but once one pub does it others will get on board."

"With a little bit of effort from everybody it's very easy to change things."