Coronavirus lockdown easing: Litter piles up at beauty spots

Visitors left litter at Dovedale in the Peak District

Erwin van Vroenhoven Dovedale in the Peak District — Visitors left litter at Dovedale in the Peak District

There have been widespread cases of littering at beauty spots and public spaces over the weekend as warm weather coincided with an easing of coronavirus restrictions.

Rubbish piled up in areas including Cornwall, Dorset, Birmingham, London and the Peak District.

Many public areas were busy due to lockdown restrictions being eased coinciding with prolonged sunshine.

Clean Up Britain described the images as "truly appalling and inexcusable".

At Formby beach near Liverpool, people left food wrappers and drinks cans along with bigger items like cool boxes and chairs on the sand.

Local people described the scene at Formby beach on Merseyside as "vile"

Dominic Darvell Formby beach — Local people described the scene at Formby beach on Merseyside as "vile"

In Cornwall, Bodmin Community Fire Station commented on a picture of rubbish, saying: "Bodmin Moor is a beautiful place to visit but please show some respect. This is simply unacceptable."

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Also in Cornwall, police issued a dispersal order in Bude where large gatherings left piles of litter on Summerleaze beach.

Police issued a dispersal order in Bude, Cornwall

Summerleaze beach in Bude — Police issued a dispersal order in Bude, Cornwall

John Read from Clean Up Britain said littering is always a problem, but "the very warm weather meant large numbers of people flocked to beaches, parks and beauty spots, no doubt with a sense of relief and joy that they were allowed out".

He added: "What sort of mindset allows people to enjoy the beauty of Britain while at the same time trashing it?"

Dovedale is one of the most popular areas in the Peak District

Crowds of visitors have left mounds of litter including used toilet roll and nappies at Yorkshire beauty spots such as Ilkley.

Erwin van Vroenhoven posted pictures on Facebook showing "unbelievable" amounts of waste at the Stepping Stones of Dovedale in the Peak District.

He said: "I understand people want to get out to the countryside after lock down, with beautiful weather and with nothing else open, but I don't understand why people wouldn't take their rubbish home and litter all across a beautiful spot like this!"

Fire officers helped volunteers clear up litter at Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham

Fire officers helped volunteers clear up litter at Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham

In Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, West Midlands Fire Service helped to clear up rubbish described by local resident Mark Busby as "absolutely disgusting".

Epping Forest, London's largest open space, was busy and some people left rubbish behind prompting City of London Council to remind people "this ancient woodland is not a dustbin".

Discarded gas canisters were found at several places including Epping Forest

City of London Epping Forest Epping Forest — Discarded gas canisters were found at several places including Epping Forest

At Durdle Door in Dorset, three cliff divers were rescued and people were evacuated from the busy beach, leaving much of their rubbish behind.

Anna Lois Taylor commented that is was a "staggering amount of litter and heartbreaking to see our beautiful coast treated this way".

Local volunteers cleared up piles of litter at Durdle Door in Dorset

Anna Lois Taylor Durdle Door — Local volunteers cleared up piles of litter at Durdle Door in Dorset