THERE has been huge support for a bid to ban the “deadly traps” that are plastic flying rings in Cornwall.

Shops across the Duchy will be asked to voluntarily stop selling the rings in order to protect seals and other marine life.

Liberal Democrat councillor Rosie Moore, who brought the voluntary ban motion before Cornwall Council, said at a meeting of the authority yesterday (Tuesday, July 22): “Across the UK plastic flying rings, similar to frisbees but with a hole in the middle, are causing serious harm. Thousands are sold every year, they’re cheap, light and easy.

“Unfortunately, hundreds are left behind on our beaches and whether lost or simply thrown away, they end up in our seas. These rings don’t decompose and will lie in our seas for decades to come. Seals are naturally curious animals – when they find one of these rings floating in the water they see it as a toy.

“Once a ring slips over the seal’s head it becomes a deadly trap, lodging deep into the flesh and infection sets in. Many suffer for weeks and months before dying in agony.”

She said rescuing affected seals was very rare and in cases where they are rescued the rehabilitation of one seal alone can cost as much as £15,000; a “shocking figure” 45,455 times more than the wholesale price of a flying ring which can be as little as 33p.

Cllr Moore added that councils across the UK are already taking action and, as such, she asked Cornwall Council to vote in favour of a voluntary ban on the sale of the rings within the Duchy. She said that major retailers such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s had stopped selling flying rings, which can be replaced with solid frisbees.

Representatives from Gweek Seal Sanctuary and British Divers Marine Life Rescue – who have been pressing for action – were in the public gallery to hear the debate. Reform UK councillor Rowland O’Connor, a scuba instructor, said he fully supported the motion as he had seen the impact. Fellow Reform councillor Paul Cador, who also supported the proposal, asked who would police a ban and how it would be funded. He was told it didn’t need to be policed as the motion was calling for a voluntary ban.

Cllr Loveday Jenkin (Mebyon Kernow) wondered if there was more the council could do in future, along the lines of a council bylaw to prevent the use of “these dangerous objects on beaches around the Cornish coast”.

The motion was unanimously supported by all 77 councillors present. All members also voted in favour of a motion to tackle the number of abandoned boats on Cornwall’s waterways and coastline.