A pensioner has hit on a novel way to raise money for charity - by selling plastic bags to shoppers in Hounslow for a penny a pop.
Former Royal photographer Ray Bellisario was been stationed outside the Treaty Centre in Hounslow High Street on Friday (December 18) with a huge box of old plastic bags he had been storing up at his home in Heston.
The 79-year-old has been selling them to shoppers to raise money for the charity Guide Dogs, which provides trained dogs to help blind and partially-sighted people.
He has been asking for a penny a bag - less than the minimum 5p large shops must charge since the new law came into force in October.
But he says many members of the public have given much more generously, with some people handing over £2 for charity and not even taking one of the bags.
"I had hundreds of plastic bags taking up space under my stairs and they were a fire hazard so I thought why not use them to raise a bit of money for charity," he said.
"Guide Dogs for the Blind is a great charity and people have been very generous with their donations.
"I must have sold 30 or 40 bags in the two hours I've been here since 9.30am and I reckon I've collected about £20."
Mr Bellisario says he plans to continue selling the bags for charity in Hounslow High Street this weekend and on Monday (December 21).
