BBC show probes impact of plastic on oceans

Letter to daughters of late airman relate details of sad day

Leon Chester-Lawrence had two young daughters, Sherry and Nicola, when he was killed in 1958.

And although they were not allowed to attend the funeral, family friend Anthony Stephens related his memories of that sad day in a letter to the duo, who now live in Australia.

He told them: “It was a bright warm summer’s day. The firing party and the band gathered and the band draped the drums and the larger brass instruments in black.

“The drummers, of whom I was one, lifted the snares from the drum heads. We were bussed to the cemetery, but there was a clearing in the forest on the opposite side of the road.

“As the mourners lined up, including the pallbearers, and the cortege was moving Leon’s coffin on to a gun carriage, a white ensign was draped over the coffin and your mother’s flowers were placed on top. The chaplain made a short proclamation, and a quiet order, Guard and Band...Slow March, was given.

“The band played Handel’s ‘Dead March From Saul’ and the procession moved from the upper car park, turning to the right along to the burial site.

“The chaplain conducted the service, the pallbearers removed the ensign and folded it, then they lifted the coffin from the carriage and placed it over the grave on wooden bars.

“Your father was lowered into his final resting place as a lone bugler played ‘The Last Post’. Whispered orders were given to the firing party and fusillades of shots were fired, three times over the grave.

“The Royal Naval march ‘Hearts of Oak’ was played and the guard and band marched off, out of the cemetery to the forest opposite.

“I didn’t see the parting of the mourners, but the family members present were impeccable in their bearing and I was proud to know I was related to them.” A new documentary will investigate the “devastating impact” plastics are having on the world’s oceans, a year after Blue Planet II.

The BBC’s Drowning In Plastic will investigate the effect the material is having on marine animals.

It comes a year after the Blue Planet II series, presented by Sir David Attenborough, raised the profile of the oceans’ plight.

Wildlife biologist Liz Bonnin will look at the dangers and struggles of wildlife in the ocean and the extent of the problem of our polluted seas.

Issues will include microplastics, coral reefs, seabirds and plastic fishing gear.

It will look at inventions trying to clean up our oceans, such as giant “trash wheels”, “ropeless” lobster pots and a new system to

“Thisfilmlooks atoneofthemost importantcrises ofourtime”

try to clear the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Alternative food packaging, made of biodegradable seaweed, will also be featured in a bid to stop the estimated eight million tonnes of plastic from entering our oceans each year.

Charlotte Moore, director of BBC Content, said: “BBC One continues its mission to uncover the devastating impact plastics are having on our oceans in this special film that looks at one of the most significant and important environmental crises of our time.”

Around the globe every minute we buy a million plastic bottles, a million disposable cups and two million plastic bags.

It is estimated that only 11% of the world’s plastic is recycled.

If the production of new plastic instead of recycling is not reduced, it is estimated that annual plastic production in 2050 will have increased by 500%.

The programme will be broadcast on October 1.