Never again! Residents call for action to stop hooligans taking over coastal resorts
LOCALS SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AFTER THEIR SEAFRONT IS INVADED
Reporter “WHAT happened here at the weekend cannot happen again.”
That was the strong message from a coastal community as they came together one week after their beach was taken over by yobs.
As the hot weather hit, Cullercoats beach became a magnet for underage drinking, littering and anti-social behaviour.
There were reports of bottles being smashed off the pier, thefts along the seafront and shop staff being verbally abused and spat on.
Now after deciding that ‘ enough is enough’, hundreds of people gathered at a rally on the beach on Saturday to ‘say no to antisocial behaviour’.
Local business owner Simon Laing organised the event calling for the police to deploy more resources to the coast during hot weather.
Mr Laing, of Cullercoats Bike & Kayak, told the Sunday Sun: “This is everyone coming together and saying we’ve had enough.
“On Thursday there were kids and adults drinking, smashing bottles against the pier, in Tynemouth they set fire to the dunes.
“On Friday and Saturday more groups came down and it just got worse and worse.
“The community police on this stretch of coast are great but there’s only five of them.
“We need to put pressure on the police to do more.
“We’ve no problem with people visit- Protestors at the rally in Cullercoats ing here and often all the intervention needs to be is a polite word before it kicks off.”
The rally was also attended by local environmental groups, candidates standing in May’s local council elections, Tynemouth MP Alan Campbell and Mayor of North Tyneside Norma Redfearn.
Mrs Redfearn told crowds: “When I heard what had happened last weekend and saw the pictures I was really upset. We must protect our wonderful coastline.
“If, as a council, you think we are going to let people destroy it, we are not.” Residents were asked to write down their own suggestions, which included on-thespot fines, more bins on the seafront and alcohol rules on the Metro.
Nathan Bates, from Heaton, visits the beach regularly and said: “It’s getting out of control and it’s going to get worse unless something is done.
“It was disheartening last week to see the beach covered in rubbish. And having broken glass on there is ridiculous, you can’t get it off the sand and people will get injured.”
Cullercoats resident Steve Radcliffe said: “Something needs to change to address antisocial behaviour.
“We need help from the police because the public can’t do it by themselves, we can only report it.”
Another local resident, Sandra Oliver, said: “This has been happening for 30 odd years, we have exactly the same conversation and nothing ever changes.
“They’ve got to ban drinking on the beach and actually enforce it.” SIMON LAING