Sir David Attenborough has joined calls to end littering in the Royal Parks following distressing news of how this can harm the wildlife there.

The naturalist, known for his love of Richmond Park pleaded with visitors to "leave no trace" of their visit.

In a recent blog post he said: "In busy London, the Royal Parks are a haven for wildlife and there are simple things we can all do to protect it and help it thrive.

"Litter, and especially plastic, is a growing danger to wildlife worldwide, and we can all help by taking it home or using the bins."

"Please also leave the wildflowers and fungi, the acorns and deadwood where they are; all of them are vital parts of the Parks' ecology."

"Remember to tread lightly and leave no trace of your visit."

His comments came after the Royal Parks revealed the devastating impact of dumped waste in the 8 green spaces they manage across London.

For example, a complete sofa set was found jammed between an oak tree in Bushy Park this summer.

In addition, deer have been seen with plastic bags stuck on their mouths and a cormorant got tangled in a six-pack ring.

Overall, it costs the Royal Parks at least £1.3 million a year to collect and dispose of litter left in their parks across London.

The charity has now started a campaign, 'Help Nature Thrive', as more visitors are attracted to the nature reserves due to travel restrictions.

But not everyone is respectful when visiting these green spaces.

"Too often our park teams have spotted the shocking results of left litter and BBQs on the natural environment," the Royal Parks said.

"Small animals and birds can climb inside plastic bags or get their heads stuck in bottles or cans and suffocate.

""Wildlife attracted to left-over scraps can accidentally eat plastic waste, clogging up their intestines, causing them pain or even death by starvation.

"Deer become distressed if they get plastic bags tangled in their antlers and can cause a stampede which is dangerous to the public."

Read more about the Royal Parks' campaign, Help Nature Thrive, here.