Crackdown on teens partying in Polzeath after CCTV reveals gatherings on the beach

CCTV images taken at Polzeath Beach in North Cornwall have revealed the scale of young people gathering on the village's popular beach late at night.

Since early July as many as 200-300 teenagers have been seen partying or simply hanging out with friends on the beach into the early hours.

Last year Devon and Cornwall Police issued a 48-hour dispersal order to clear groups from the beach, following incidents of vandalism to life saving equipment and issues with litter.

A year on, Polzeath Beach Rangers Andy Stewart and Bev Samuels insist the work their team has been doing to encourage good behaviour this summer is proving effective.

Andy Stewart, Beach Ranger: "The police have been helping us be proactive in the evenings, as well as a security company. It's all low key or very friendly, and once we've got the message out there that we won't tolerate bad behaviour the focus is then on everybody having a good time. And we've been standing back and watching people having a good time, which is what they come here for."

Andy and colleague Bev Samuels are both former police officers. Their role is to help manage the beach and give advice to visitors in the daytime, and patrol at night.

Alcohol has been banned from the beach area, which they say has reduced issues with glass and litter.

Bev Samuels, Beach Ranger: "Two years ago, and especially last year just before the dispersal order was put in place, the litter around the beach was awful. It was dangerous, a lot of glass which is dangerous for everybody including dogs when they're on the beach. Since we've got the message out, it's made a big difference. It's not like that at all now."

Businesses in the village are also helping to tackle anti-social behaviour. Restaurant and bar 'Surfside' has extended its security guard cover into the early hours.

Tom Bailhache, Co-director, Surfside: "It's to help diffuse things. They are staying on til 3am, but it's all fizzling out by 1 or 2am, which in the past it never really did, it would stay on til 4 or 5am. I think the beaches have been a lot cleaner as well."

One issue the Beach Rangers say they continue to be concerned about is incidents of inappropriate sexual behaviour on the beach late at night.

Andy Stewart, Beach Ranger: "We've seen anything from 3 to up to 7 young couples having sex at the base of the cliffs, and for us morally and legally that is inappropriate. We tend to take a step back and allow the police to step in then, and deal with that in the most appropriate way. It's more to protect the people who are involved."

Education work has also been done this year with schools out of county during the winter, to encourage respectful behaviour and safety when young people come down on holiday.

The Beach Rangers will continue to monitor behaviour on the beach throughout the summer, with any serious issues being referred to the police.