Our seaside town is being ruined by rowdy tourists who have sex on our beaches – here’s the drastic way we’ll stop them
RESIDENTS of a seaside town have told how their area is ruined by tourists who have sex on their beaches.
Drastic action has now had to be taken in Polzeath, Cornwall, to monitor the beach in the dark where young people have been starting fires and taking drugs.
Two infrared cameras have been set up to monitor the anti-social behaviour.
Senior beach ranger Andy Stewart of Polzeath Beach Ranger Service told BBC News: “They are a new way of preventing or detecting anti-social behaviour.
“It reached the point at certain times of year when things were going wrong.
"We are doing what we can to mitigate anti-social behaviour and the cameras can assist us with that.”
The camera will be monitored live but can also be watched back by rangers and police.
He continued: “We do not like the cameras, but they are a necessary evil.
"Sometimes you need to be more intrusive and find out what is going on.
“You cannot be in every place all the time and the cameras have proven their worth in their first two weeks.”
Mr Stewart says during the summer months the beach is packed with teens drinking, taking drug and having sex after dark.
He explained: “It reached the point at certain times of year when things were going wrong.
“We are doing what we can to mitigate anti-social behaviour and the cameras can assist us with that.”
Mr Stewart said he just wants his home to keep it's reputation as a holiday spot - rather than a place ruined by visiting youngsters.
“Polzeath is a very popular Blue Flag beach and surf resort that attracts all different age groups. But it’s becoming known as a party town like Newquay was in the 90s when it became full of stag and hen dos.
"It took 10 years for to turn itself around and be known as a family-friendly place again. We don’t want Polzeath to go into decline because once it’s gone we’ll struggle to get our reputation back.”
Andy said this summer the street lights would be switched on at 1am and bin bags handed out to any remaining beach dwellers to clear up the mess.
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He claimed posh parents living in nearby villages "haven't got a clue" what their kids are getting up to.
He said: "They think they are sending their kids to this utopia, where they are sitting on the beach, playing guitar and swapping phone numbers."They don't realise there is excessive drinking, cocaine, nitrous oxide, underage sex and big fires."