The Express & Echo is to give away 5,000 reusable bags in a bid to reduce the number of plastic bags used in Exeter and the surrounding area by 25 per cent in 12 months.

In what the paper is calling its most ambitious campaign to date, the Echo has teamed up with Exeter City Council, EDF Energy and the Tidy Exeter Group, and will deliver its first batch of 1,000 jute bags to traders in a shopping street in St Leonard's on Friday.

This will be followed by deliveries to other shops across the area, who will receive consignments of the 'My Green Bag' for shoppers to use.

Editor Marc Astley said he had had the idea for the campaign after reading about the success of an intiative in Modbury in South Devon, which saw every shop in the town agree not to supply plastic bags.

He said: "I thought if they can do that then what could we achieve with the influence the paper has on this area?

"The idea is called 'Green Shoppers' and this is just the start.

"Once we have got to grips with the bags issue we will look at other issues such as packaging."

Readers have also been invited to sign a pledge to reduce their carrier bag consumption by three plastic carriers a week, and more than 400 people have so far signed up.

Schoolchildren have been invited to do their bit too, by designing a limited edition reusable jute bag which will be available in Exeter for Christmas.

And a well-known sports personality has been signed up to design a bag in the new year to keep readers' interest.