Protesters took to the pier to encourage women stop flushing away plastic sanitary products and switch to alternatives.

The Sea Red protest was jointly organised in Brighton by Natracare, the Women’s Environmental Network, City to Sea, Plastic Free Britain, and the Marine Conservation Society.

Activists made plenty of noise as they called for women to “see red” and instead for a a “plastic free period”.

Natracare chief executive Susie Hewson has developed a company which only uses environmentally friendly products for women.

She said: “We are raising awareness of the impact we are having upon our oceans from plastic.

“It includes the menstrual products, tampon applicators, wet wipes, and babies’ nappies that get flushed down the toilet.

“This stuff does not disappear. The wildlife in the sea is really struggling, birds are feeding their chicks on plastic so they don’t fledge, and fish think plastic bits are plankton.”

The activists donned red T-shirts and banged drums to make their voices heard on Brighton seafront yesterday, and Ms Hewson said there are alternatives.

Sea swimmer Yvonne Luna, who runs the Swimming in Art arch under the pier said she has encountered everything from plastic bags and bottles to nasty surprises on her daily swim.

She said her partner, who is a fisherman, regularly finds things like sanitary towels in his nets.

Green Party Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas did not attend the event, but said that while women can help make the environment a better place through their choices, the onus needs to be on suppliers to create products which are free of plastic.