As temperatures rose in the UK, thousands of people who might have forgotten that there is still a deadly pandemic ongoing, flocked to beaches around the country and made a right old mess.
In disappointing pictures that have been widely circulated around the internet from beaches in Bournemouth, Brighton and Sunderland covered in tonnes of rubbish left behind by the beachgoers who really shouldn't have been there in the first place.
As you can imagine people are not impressed.
Did you go to Bournemouth beach yesterday? Did you leave your rubbish on the beach? If you did, stay in your own sc… https://t.co/WsqgVod3ka— Andy Brown (@Andy Brown) 1593071079
This morning down Bournemouth Beach. One simple thing is to take your rubbish home if the bin there is full. 🗑 Toda… https://t.co/ApRbfPrnVC— Alex Rimell 💁🏽♂️ (@Alex Rimell 💁🏽♂️) 1593061620
12 tonnes of rubbish left on Bournemouth beach yesterday. People had even defecated in burger boxes & left on beach… https://t.co/IEdQ2FhYUm— dominic dyer (@dominic dyer) 1593069574
Do me a favour. If you come to South Shields or Tynemouth or Whitley Bay or Seaton Sluice or Cresswell or any of ou… https://t.co/Z5v36aXgCB— Taylor Payne (@Taylor Payne) 1593027323
The absolute state of Brighton beach this morning, just as parents are beginning to arrive with their kids for the… https://t.co/sjJeLC0Ki8— Jo Edwards (@Jo Edwards) 1593068930
Both Brighton and Sunderland councils have issued statements about the litter condemning those who left behind the rubbish.
🚯A small minority spoil our beautiful beaches, cities and countryside by leaving their rubbish behind Don't be TH… https://t.co/OZnDwFKpx2— Brighton & Hove City Council (@Brighton & Hove City Council) 1593082942
BEACH GOERS... BIN OR TAKE YOUR RUBBISH HOME!!! 🚮 We so very sad 😥 😭This was the scene last night after people had… https://t.co/qJ35IsXKsM— Sunderland UK 🏖️ (@Sunderland UK 🏖️) 1593068852
Meanwhile, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council leader Vikki Slade has urged people to stay away from the beach until lockdown measures are eased on 4 July. Speaking to Bournemouth Echo, she said:
This isn’t about telling local people they can’t go to the beach, this is the message we’ve been putting out there which is ‘we’re not ready for outside visitors because we can’t give you the full experience.’
Please stay away until 4 July and by that time the restaurants will be open, the attractions will be open, you’ll have more choice of where to go, the hotels will be open so you won’t be tempted to do illegal things like park where you shouldn’t and camp where you shouldn’t.
Beaches are not the only hotspots that people congregated on as the temperature skyrocketed. Parks around the country were also hit with a deluge of rubbish, leaving already stretched workforces with even more tasks to do.
Our staff will be working extra hard this morning to clear yesterday’s rubbish. Please help us care for the Heath d… https://t.co/dAGKwzpPY5— Hampstead Heath (@Hampstead Heath) 1593070148
This was the sight waiting to greet officers this morning on our patrols at Colwick Park. Littering is not acceptab… https://t.co/NUtATN1o9S— CP Operational Response Team (@CP Operational Response Team) 1593088096
The Meadows this morning... https://t.co/XxIUS89s9G— Ian Rankin (@Ian Rankin) 1593065618
6am in Hyde Park. Please people, STOP this, it’s breaking my heart. Have we learned nothing? #parks #london #nature… https://t.co/tTSxY0sTih— Alison Cork (@Alison Cork) 1593063026
Every morning this week we have been greeted by scenes like this. Today there was also evidence of drug use. Thank… https://t.co/QAO2XFf0no— Ampthill Town CC 🏏 (@Ampthill Town CC 🏏) 1593078163
Temperatures are set to have dissipated by the weekend meaning we are less likely to see these scenes repeated soon but there is still no excuse for this sort of behaviour.