Talks begin to tackle beach's 'damaging' summer

Druridge Bay in Northumberland is a popular beach

Talks have begun to tackle issues caused by anti-social behaviour and illegal camping at a popular beach.

It comes after sand dunes at Druridge Bay in Northumberland were left scorched by an "out-of-control" campfire in August.

Local Labour councillor Scott Dickinson said the beach had always been blighted by wildfires, litter and illegal camping during the summer, but this year had been especially damaging, adding: "There's been lots of trauma to wildlife, there's been lots of trauma to local people."

Emergency services, councillors and the National Trust were among those to agree to a joint approach, including creating a map detailing who owns which bits of land.

The first meeting was held in September.

Dickinson said: "We have always had issues during summer months, but at this point we need to look and say the damage that was caused this year, the long-lasting wildlife trauma that's been caused, needs to be resolved

"We will use whatever we have necessary and available to us to prevent the type of summer we've had this summer being there next summer."

He said each group was bringing together "hot spot" data.

"Each organisation was receiving complaints and reports from members of the public, and others, and nobody was collating them in the middle," the local Labour leader said.

Fires broke out on Druridge Bay sand dunes over the summer

He said council funding had already been used to trial physical barriers, including boulders and land ditches to prevent vehicles from being able to drive on to certain parts.

However, he said the boulders had been removed and people were filling in the verges.

"What we're looking at now is the physical measures that we did put in place, which ones worked, which ones didn't, how we can tailor them moving forward," he said.

Conservative councillor Gordon Stewart, the cabinet member for public safety, previously said damage to the area was "unacceptable" and enforcement action would be taken.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: "We continue to work with multi-agency partners to address concerns around anti-social behaviour in Druridge Bay and the surrounding area.

"Regular meetings will follow in which we review information and further develop strategies to appropriately deal with anti-social behaviour, keeping Druridge Bay the welcoming place it is in which to live, work and visit."