Smoking litter 'on 86% of Welsh streets'

Streets in Wales are blighted by discarded cigarette butts, with 86% of roads strewn with smoking-related litter, a charity's survey shows.

Discarded chewing gum was also seen on three-quarters of streets surveyed for Keep Wales Tidy, while dog fouling was found on one in 10.

Despite this, 96% of streets were graded as acceptable to the public.

Natural Resources Minister Carl Sargeant said "everybody" was responsible for keeping streets clean.

Keep Wales Tidy said smoking-related litter - which is predominantly made up of cigarette butts - was difficult to clean up.

It could also affect the environment and wildlife by contaminating water supplies with toxic chemicals, it added.

Chief executive Lesley Jones said: "I would emphasise that it isn't just the responsibility of local authorities to clean up an area, but everyone who lives, works, visits a street, park, beach, city, town or village to keep it clean and create a good environment for all."

Its research - published in the All Wales Report (How Clean are our Streets?) - was funded by the Welsh government.