STONE COLD
Families face £1,000 fine for beach ‘mistake’ this summer as council launches huge crackdown
The council 'understands' people will be reluctant to follow the rule
FAMILIES face a £1,000 fine for a beach "mistake" this summer as the council launches a huge crackdown.
Day trippers to Cumbrian beaches have been taking shells home with them to brighten up the garden.
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But now town hall bosses have warned that taking a few pebbles back home can cause long term damage to the environment.
The UK’s Coast Protection Act states that it is unlawful to take any natural material from a beach, no matter the amount.
Now one town hall boss has said that beach goers need to comply with the law, despite the temptation to smuggle a few pebbles back home.
Bob Kelly, Cumberland’s executive member for policy and regulatory services, said: “I understand people’s reluctance to follow this guidance as I have been a collector of shells myself.
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"Taking a pebble or a shell from a beach can damage the environment.
“Pebbles and other natural matter act as a natural sea defence against coastal erosion, natural flood defences and wildlife habitats, which many experts warn has become even more of an issue due to climate change.”
What the law says about taking pebbles from the beach
Under the Coastal Protection Act 1949 it is illegal to remove sand, pebbles, or stones from UK beaches.
The law is enforced by local councils who have the power to issue fines of up to £1,000 to holidaymakers who are caught removing stones and sand.
In 2018, a British man who 'stole' stones from a beach in Cornwall was forced to drive hundreds of miles to return them.
According to the local council, the man had taken 10 stones from Crackington Haven, a beach near Bude in Cornwall, while he was on holiday.
After he returned home, he was contacted by the council and asked to return the stone back to the beach.
At the time, a spokesperson for the council said: "It may seem harmless, but given that many thousands of visitors to Cornwall's beaches every year, every stone removed could have an impact on coastal erosion, natural flood defences, and wildlife habitats".
He added: “Pebbles and other natural matter act as a natural sea defence against coastal erosion, natural flood defences and wildlife habitats which many experts warn has become even more of an issue due to climate change.
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“We are asking people to leave the pebbles, shells and sand as we all want to ensure that our beaches remain vibrant and intact for future generations.”
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And the UK isn't the only place where taking sand away could land holidaymakers in hot water, Spiaggia Rosa on Budelli Island has been protected by the Italian Government since 1992.
While tourists aren't allowed onto the beach, some holidaymakers have been caught flouting the ban after posing for photos on the beach.
Tourists who've attempted to take Sardinia's pink sand away as a souvenir can up fined up to €3,500 (£3,007).
And according to , a couple were fined €1,000 (£860) in 2001 after they were caught filling a plastic bottle with sand.
Meanwhile, beaches across Europe have also brought in measures to minimise the impact of tourists.
Here are several other pink beaches holidaymakers can visit across Europe - and one's in the UK.
And a beach in the Canary Islands even has sand that looks like popcorn, due to the shape of the coral.
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