A CAMPAIGN to reduce the use of disposable bags in Barnard Castle has reached its first milestone.

Just a month after the launch of the Barney Bag the 1000th bag has been sold.

The bag project was launched in March and 19 distributors, 17 shops and the monthly Farmers Market have all pledged to reduce the number of bags they use.

The project is a joint initiative between Durham County Council, Barnard Castle Vision, County Durham Sustainability Project, and is also supported by Teesdale Marketing and by the old Teesdale Local Strategic Partnership.

Alongside the Barney Bag - a reusable shopping bag made from jute - 12 shops are trialling the use of biodegradable cornstarch bags.

Zak Ahmed, a member of the Barney Guild, said: "We are hoping that the Barney Bag campaign will be a great success in reducing the number of disposable bags distributed in town but realise that it would not be practical to eliminate disposable bags completely.

"This is particularly true of food establishments such as butchers and takeaways.

"The cornstarch bag, albeit a disposable bag, offers a more environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional plastic bag."