A Dumbarton councillor is calling for mass balloon releases to be banned on council owned property.

Councillor Iain McLaren wants the practice stopped to protect the environment and wildlife.

He has lodged a motion to the council asking officers to take steps to ban the releases.

The motion, to be debated at the council meeting on May 29, wants members to note that all released balloons return to earth as ugly litter that is dangerous to wildlife, particularly marine wildlife.

It calls on the council to recognise the concerns of farmers, environmentalists, biologists and animal lovers, and their work to raise awareness of and tackle this problem.

The motion points out that more than half of the local authorities in Scotland, including Argyll & Bute, have already banned mass balloon releases on their land.

The practice has become popular at weddings, family celebrations, and even as a way of remembering loved ones who have passed away.

Friends of Dumbarton Foreshore, who have been litter picking every weekend for more than a year, include balloons in their current campaign, along with flushed waste and

single-use plastics.