Plastic cutlery and plates could be banned under plans being considered by the Government.

In a move that could signal the return to the traditional picnic basket, The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are investigating what the environmental and economic impact would be if the items were removed from sale in England.

It comes after the Government announced plans to ban plastic straws, drink stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds earlier this year and is consulting on the introduciton of a deposit return scheme for single use drinks containers.

Theresa May, who has described plastic waste as "one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world", has urged other world leaders to follow Britain's lead following the introduction of a ban on plastic microbeads and a 5p levy on plastic bags.

France was the first country to announce a ban on plastic plates and cutlery, though the law passed in 2016 will not come into effect until 2020.