The Express and Echo in Exeter came in for praise as Gordon Brown backed its campaign to cut down on plastic bag usage.

The Prime Minster met the paper’s editor Marc Astley at 10 Downing Street to back their ‘Green Shoppers’ initiative.

He signed the Echo’s green campaign pledge which the paper is running alongside Exeter City Council, the Tidy Exeter Group and power firm EDF Energy.

He also signed and posed with one of the campaign’s alternative reusable bags, made from natural fibre jute.

The Echo now estimates that up to 10,000 of the eco-friendly bags will be in use by next month with the campaign on course to have saved 8,000,000 plastic bags by next summer.

Marc with the PM and local MP Ben Bradshaw

Marc said: “I very much welcome the Prime Minister’s support.

“It not only demonstrates the universal appeal of the Green Shoppers campaign but also the power of the regional press.

“Together, the Echo, its partners and, most importantly, its readers have sent out a powerful message that is being taken seriously at the very highest level.”

The Prime Minister said: “Twenty per cent of all the rubbish put out by the typical household is packaging waste.

“Across the country, it adds up to 10m tonnes each year.

“Retailers need to do more to reduce needless packaging and we all should do more to reduce the number of shopping bags we use.

“The whole city of Exeter should be proud of the work being done by local businesses and local people, and I want to congratulate the Express & Echo for leading the way.”