PRIMARY school pupils have set about shaming smokers after discovering hundreds of discarded cigarette butts strewn along Largs seafront.

The youngsters from both Largs and St Mary's primary five classes joined the community council for a beach clean and said they were 'disgusted' at the volume of cigarette ends carelessly disregarded on prom and beach.

Community Councillor Patricia Perman organised the clean and says she was shocked at the mess left behind by smokers - as well as calling on a local bar to take action in stubbing out the problem.

Community council chairperson Anne Carson added: "We were heartened by how informed the children are about the implications caused by plastic pollution in our oceans and on our beaches.

"But the pupils expressed disgust at the hundreds and hundreds of cigarette ends causally discarded onto the promenade.

"Their tiny fingers struggled to pick up all the items, but they persevered.

"It’s unlikely their generation will be smokers from the feedback and they are a credit to our community with their efforts."

Ms Perman added: "Not only does it look awful but it is bad for the environment.

"In the area outside of Wetherspoons, we picked up around 280 cigarette butts.

"There are no smokers bins outside of the premises, surely Wetherspoons need to provide something to help prevent this since they don't provide a smoking area for their customers.

"What is happening is that smokers go out to the prom, go over to the wall and lean over to smoke.

"So they either drop them and stamp out the rubbish at their feet or they throw them over. I have seen them doing it, as I am sure most people have.

"The children that help with out beach clean do such a brilliant job and the litter is definitely decreasing with every clean we go on.

"On our first clean we collected 18 bags and now we are down to 7kg of rubbish, so we are making progress."

Wetherspoons said they will take action when approached by the News.

Spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “We have asked for a meeting with a representative of the community council.

“We are happy to pay for and provide bins, but need permission to do this first.”