Hundreds of people gather in Swansea leaving the 'worst mess' residents have ever seen
Hundreds of people gathered in Swansea over the weekend with local residents saying they left behind the 'worst mess' they had ever seen.A man said he was 'reduced to tears' after seeing how much rubbish was left scattered across Swansea Marina on the weekend after two days in which residents claim there was also fighting and other anti-social behaviour.People were out enjoying the sunshine and making the most of the good weather, while bars and pubs remained closed under coronavirus lockdown restrictions.But for some locals and businesses, the amount of rubbish left in Swansea Marina was 'the worst' they had seen since lockdown and they also witnessed more serious incidents.
Thomas Shankland said he was "brought to tears" after walking through the marina on Sunday after seeing the number of plastic cups and bottles left on the floor.He said: "This morning I went for a walk around Swansea Marina as I often do and as I turned the corner onto Kings Road in SA1 tears began to form.
"Across the road from me on the small pedestrianised square that I walk through several times a week I was greeted by an inordinate amount of litter that was almost exclusively made up of alcohol bottles and plastic take out pint cups."Much of the litter I saw was recyclable and there were a huge number of empty plastic cups which with a small breeze (and breezes tend not to be small in the marina) will end up in the estuary and head straight out to sea.
"As I continued my walk, I saw that the litter continued all along the marina and then subsequently out to the beach."
Dawn Llewellyn-Price, of the Maritime Quarter Residents Association, said she had been in touch with PCSOs who had patrolled the area, who described the litter as the "worst they have seen".She said: "There were 400 people, fighting, and one of the revellers had apparently taken her kid's potty so she could use it in the car park.
"People pull into the dunes car park square, eat their fast food and throw the boxes out the car windows.
"It was like that late last night, but the council had cleared it this morning. Yesterday morning we spent 90 minutes on the beach, dunes and fishing boat area picking up all sorts of stuff."The manager of The Anchor restaurant in Anchor Court, who gave his name as Sal, said littering was a "big problem".He added: "I have been emptying the bins myself and using my own bin bags. I am going to have to clean it again tonight or it gets overloaded in front of my shop. It's mostly at the weekend, they don't empty the bins."
South Wales Police tweeted over the weekend: "Swansea NPT are patrolling Swansea beach front and Marina.
"Section 35 notices have been issued to groups who were acting in an anti-social manner and they have been directed to leave the area."Section 35 notices allow police to bar people from a certain area for a specific amount of time.A dispersal order was also put in place in the harbour area of Aberaeron, Ceredigion, over the weekend because of concerns surrounding anti-social behaviour.
Police said large crowds had gathered in the space between Quay Parade and Tabernacle Street over recent weeks, with local people reporting seeing individuals urinating in public.Outdoor hospitality is expected to open in Wales on April 26, if coronavirus rates remain low. Pubs and restaurants in England have been able to open outdoors since Monday, April 12.Restrictions are due to be reviewed by the Welsh Government later this coming week.