STRANDS of plastic, blowing off a piece of derelict land in Bonchurch, are causing a danger to wildlife and nothing is being done to stop it.

That is according to local resident David Laurence, who has come to a dead end when trying to get the site cleaned up.

He has twice had to clear the plastic from his cat's mouth, saw a badger running around covered in the stuff, and found a dead red squirrel with the plastic coming out of its mouth.

He reported the squirrel to the Wight Squirrel Project and said it was the last straw — something must be done.

"All the kerfuffle and talk that you hear from the council on pollution and plastic, but one questions how much is it just talk?

"For a considerable time, residents of Bonchurch Shute have been witnessing gross examples of plastic pollution from a derelict uncompleted building site.

"It is sheathed down in blue plastic which over time slowly shreds the plastic. It has an adverse effect on wildlife in the area.

"I have watched one of the local badger sett running around with strands of plastic hanging from him, in itself a cause for deep concern.

"Then I found a dead squirrel in my garden, which had ingested plastic shreds, which were hanging from its mouth.

"It goes without saying the problems involved in cleaning the plastic from garden trees, bushes etc, following any breezy day.

"Unfortunately there seems to be little interest shown in the smaller un-newsworthy side of pollution. We should ask, how many other examples of sites such as this with unchecked pollution exist?

"How much wildlife is suffering, while no active enforcement procedures are taken against absent owners/developers to stop this kind of thing happening?

The County Press has contacted the Isle of Wight Council for a response.