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Britain's beaches are being blighted by a rising tide of litter, a report has warned.

The Marine Conservation Society's annual Beachwatch study and clean-up found the amount of seaside litter had increased by 90.3 per cent since 1994.

This works out at an average of two items of rubbish for each metre of beach.

The MCS said individuals were the biggest culprits, responsible for more than a third of the litter and many of the top ten items.

Cotton bud sticks, the second most common items, are likely to have been flushed down the toilet, while crisp and sweet wrappers rank fourth, reflecting careless attitudes to packaging.

Small plastic pieces were the most common item of litter.

Cigarette stubs have also increased steadily since 1994 and are now the eighth most common item, with the potential to climb even higher as smoking moves outdoors.

The MCS is calling for a UK-wide environmental education campaign to change people's litter-dropping and flushing habits.

The Beachwatch 2006 report also showed levels of sewage-related debris are still unacceptably high, with Scotland having the highest levels.

Emma Snowden, MCS litter projects co-ordinator said: "Cotton bud sticks and other sewage-related debris on our beaches are not just unsightly to look at but the majority of these products are made of plastic which persist in the marine environment for many years.

"This should be such an easy environmental issue to resolve and yet the message is still not getting across - everyone must take responsibility to bag it and bin it - never flush it."

© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.