Police take action against Polzeath beach parties

Police have issued notices at Polzeath beach

Police are trying to stop hundreds of people partying on a beach and leaving it "looking like a festival site".

Devon and Cornwall Police has issued a 48-hour dispersal order, clearing groups from Polzeath beach in Cornwall.

Beach ranger Andy Stewart said "we have found up to 400 or 500 on the beach partying at night and the devastation in the morning is apocalyptic".

Police said lifesaving equipment had also been damaged, and large amounts of broken glass and litter had been found.

Mr Stewart told BBC Radio Cornwall: "People have been coming down and partying on the beach" for decades, but "enough is enough".

Rangers have been finding large amounts of broken glass and litter on the beach

Sgt Lee Holley told BBC Radio Cornwall: "It's a repeat of something we have seen for the last two years where young people head towards the beach early on in the evening, and they remain there throughout the evening into the night.

"Unfortunately there is clear antisocial behaviour, and it's led to problems that the local community are rather upset about."

Sgt Holley said as well as damage to the lifesaving equipment there were concerns about underage drinking, and reports of assaults that "potentially would have not happened had it not been" for the gatherings.

The dispersal order is in place until 22:00 BST on Saturday

The extensive littering on the beach left it "looking like a festival site", he added.

Bev Samuels, beach ranger, urged people to "please come to Polzeath, enjoy the beach, but don't trash it".

The dispersal order is in place until 22:00 BST on Saturday.

Polzeath is an area popular with holiday-makers, and has one of the highest rates of second home ownership in Cornwall.