A new initiative is offering free bellyboard hire across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to discourage the use of polluting plastic boards.

Surf Wood for Good aims to tackle the waste caused by polystyrene bodyboards, which are usually imported and single-use, by lending beachgoers British-made wooden boards.

The environmentally friendly alternatives will be available to borrow free of charge from stockists in 24 coastal sites until October, including in Bournemouth, Cornwall and Grimsby.

It is estimated that more than 16,000 polystyrene bodyboards are left on UK beaches each year, according to environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.

The low-quality boards are said to last as little as a few hours before they are often discarded across seafronts, and can release thousands of tiny polystyrene balls into the coastal ecosystem.

Jamie Johnstone, founder of Surf Wood for Good, was prompted to act after seeing the volume of broken polystyrene bodyboards left at his local beach in Newquay daily last summer.

“We hope that the scheme will inspire people to think about what they are riding in the waves and promote a positive change away from disposable plastic in general,” Johnstone said.

“I love the idea that each board handed out represents the potential for a cheap alternative to be saved from landfill.”

Environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage added: “Plastic pollution is a huge issue, with 8m pieces of plastic entering the ocean every single day. Not only is Surf Wood For Good kinder to our planet, it provides endless fun in the water, where you can use the board over and over again.”

Last year, a ban on sales of single-use bodyboard sales was introduced in North Devon to eliminate waste.

A list of participating sites can be found at a dedicated website.