A big effort all round for Deganwy beach clean-up

Jan 28 2008 By Richard Evans

RESIDENTS, youth groups and police joined forces in Deganwy at the weekend to clear up the beach.

Seagulls, bad weather and drunken yobs caused the beach to suffer in recent weeks so members of the Deganwy Residents’ Association and the neighbourhood watch organised a clean-up on Saturday.

The local scout and brownie troops joined in the pick-up, in which residents were supplied with safety equipment by Conwy County Council.

The council is now considering bird- proof bins to stop seagulls scavenging and carrying litter while gangs of youths congregating on the beach have also been challenged by police.

A spate of under-age drinking has meant cars and vehicles have suffered attacks after dark, while the unruly behaviour on the beach and nearby Marine Crescent has meant empty cans and broken bottles have been left strewn over the sand, spoiling the popular walking spot and causing danger to dogs.

Community beat officer PC Mark Howell-Walmsley says the pick-up was an opportunity for the residents to take back control of the beach. He added police patrols and liaison with the neighbourhood watch had also helped stamp out anti-social behaviour.

"They have had problems with drinking on the beach," he said. "There is no CCTV and the problem was people were coming from Conwy, Llandudno and Llandudno Junction and arranging it on their mobile phones.

"It was predominantly under-age drinking, but working with the residents association and the newly formed neighbourhood watch we’ve managed to eliminate it and the litter problem. People were coming here sober and then leaving through Marine Crescent after too much beer and there had been some damage to vehicles. There were broken bottles and general rubbish left which was a problem for dog walkers so the residents were taking back ownership of beach."