Supermarkets and shops including Sainsbury's, Iceland and Somerfields are in talks to discuss how to best withdraw the bags.

If a ban comes into force, Chippenham will be the biggest town in the West to cut out the use of plastic bags.

In December the village of Tisbury in Wiltshire brought in a plastic bag ban in an attempt to reduce plastic waste.

The retired Bishop of Bath and Wells, John Bickersteth, was said to be the driving force behind the idea when he said he wanted to "preserve the earth".