Katarina Martin, a marine biology student at Newcastle University, has been passionate about marine life from an early age, inspired by growing up along the Northumberland coastline.

With every person in the UK living within 70 miles of the sea and millions flocking to the coast each summer, litter remains a significant threat to marine environments. Katarina is now encouraging local people to play their part in protecting the coastline through a special Marine Week event.

The Marine Week Beach Clean and Seaweed Spotting event will take place on Sunday 9 August, from 10.30am to 12.30pm, at Blyth Beach.

Participants will have the opportunity to help remove litter from the beach while also learning how to identify a variety of seaweed species found along the North East coast.

Katarina Martin, event organiser, says:

"The North East coast has my heart as I've grown up around it and it is so criminally underestimated.

"To me, the ocean is the most important thing on the planet. It provides life to us and if there's no ocean then there's no humans. Northumberland has a diverse natural landscape existing beneath the waves, including seagrass meadows and soft corals, not to mention the wonderful dolphins which appear each year. The rocky shores also contain such hidden gems.

"The trick is noticing the unnoticed, which is what I will be doing at the event, so come and join me."

All equipment will be provided free of charge, although advance booking is required to ensure sufficient resources are available for everyone attending. Free tickets can be booked at www.nwt.org.uk/events 

The free event forms part of Northumberland Wildlife Trust's Championing Nature Project, which has been made possible through support from The Championships, Wimbledon and Emirates.

Further information about the Championing Nature Project can be found at www.nwt.org.uk/what-we-do/projects/championing-nature