Tog Hill: Bid to stop beauty spot used for outdoor sex

The local community wants to deter people from having sex at the beauty spot

A group is trying to restore the reputation of a notorious picnic area which has been used for outdoor sex.

Tog Hill picnic site has panoramic views of both Bath and Bristol and the surrounding countryside.

Saving Tog Hill campaigner Henry Lea said the "lewd sexual activities" at the picnic site were "a massive discouragement" for other visitors.

Owner, South Gloucestershire Council, said it was working with the police and public to try and keep everyone safe.

Sex in a public place is not in itself illegal but can become so if other people are watching, or see it and are offended by it.

If this is the case, it would be an offence of outraging public decency.

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson said "the area is not a particular focus" but anybody with concerns "should report them".

"This will help us build up a picture of what is happening in the area," the spokesperson added.

Apart from the sexual activity, people have also left behind condoms and other litter at the site, off the M4 at junction 18.

"In the first litter pick we went down to the woods which is one of the key areas and gathered a good couple of hundred's worth of condoms," said Mr Lea.

Gav who runs a food van at Tog Hill says the CCTV cameras need to be re-installed

CCTV was installed by the council but taken down after six weeks.

Gav Ellington, who runs a food van at the site, said he wants the cameras back.

"It's a beautiful place which people should be able to come and enjoy without fear of feeling uncomfortable."

A council spokesperson said: "We recently re-opened the car park after carrying out some improvements, including refurbishing the benches, repairing the surface of the car park, making repairs to the toilet block, clearing overgrown bramble and conducting a full litter pick of the site."

The cameras were installed to "deter vandalism of the temporary fencing in place while the picnic area was closed".

The authority said the cameras were removed at the completion of the work.

But Mr Ellington called for the return of the CCTV saying "whilst the camera was here, there was no sexual activity".

Henry Lea has carried out litter picks in the wooded areas near the picnic site