ORGANISERS will ban the use of plastic straws throughout Cowes Week in a bid to be more environmentally friendly.

Cowes Week Ltd, which organises Lendy Cowes Week, has pledged to step up its sustainability initiatives.

The firm already uses a sustainably sourced electricity provider at its base in Regatta House, has a full recycling programme, and has banned single use plastics in the building.

Now it plans to ban plastic straws across the event, offer more water stations for visitors, reduce the use of plastic cutlery, and increase the use of reusable drinking cups.

The firm is working closely with The Green Blue, the RYA and British Marine's Joint environment initiative, and has signed up to the Sailors for the Sea Clean Regattas Programme.

Lendy Cowes Week 2018 takes place from August 4 to 11.