DISCARDED and unsightly supermarket trolleys could be eliminated from Ringwood's streets if the district council flexes its new legislative powers.

As part of the Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005, New Forest District Council has the power to round up any trolleys that have gone astray and then keep them for six weeks before disposing of them.

Councillor Christine Ford told the council's environment review panel that a Ringwood councillor has taken 40 photographs of abandoned trolleys in the past month.

"They are used as a sort of toy by some young people who push each other around," she said.

Ringwood town clerk Terry Scriven said: "If there is a problem in the town, and some councillors believe there is, and a public authority has the power to deal with it, then that mischief needs to be dealt with - and the authority with the power ought to use it."

Colin Read, NFDC's assistant director of commercial services, said that in general New Forest area supermarkets have a responsible attitude. But the council now has the power to act where trolleys are a problem.

"Nuisance can be quite significant if they are left on pavements or on highways," he said.

However, he pointed out that pound-in-the-slot trolleys are less frequently abandoned.

A district council spokesman said that eventually the trolleys would be handed back to the supermarkets or ways to turn them into scrap metal would be explored.

Review panel members want the council cabinet to initiate a consultation on the council's powers over trolleys. Consultees will include chambers of trade, supermarkets, the Association of Convenience Stores, the Association of Town Centre Management and town and parish councils.

A spokesman for Sainsbury's said: "Sainsbury's encourages its customers to act responsibly and not to abandon trolleys outside the store perimeter.

"In those stores where there is a problem - and this involves only a very small number of stores, like those in town centres - we work with the local authority and have introduced trolley control schemes. We encourage members of the public who are aware of an abandoned trolley to report it to the store so that it can be retrieved by Sainsbury's staff.

"We also employ contractors who collect misplaced trolleys on our behalf."

A spokesman for Waitrose said: "While we welcome any initiative that benefits the community, we encourage and immediately respond to calls notifying us of a discarded Waitrose trolley so we can collect it.

"We ensure Waitrose partners will allocate time to retrieving our trolleys as part of their duties and at night the trolleys are locked."