Litter left scattered at Hengistbury Head beach

Sally Wrigley from Charminster was taking her dog for a walk along Hengistbury Head beach when she stumbled across dozens of beer bottles littered on the sand.

Sally said: “It was a lovely morning; loads of people were out with their families and walking their dogs.

“I then stumbled across all these beer bottles and rubbish.”

Sally said she counted over twenty bottles and burnt-out wood left discarded on the beach on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

“I was absolutely disgusted and flabbergasted; I didn’t know whether some of the bottles had become broken until I got a bit closer.

“Someone could have cut their feet, or a dog could have injured its paws.

“People won’t allow dogs on our beached, but scum bags can litter…absolutely no respect.”

Speaking directly to the people who left the rubbish, Sally said: “Pick up your mess! That is no way to behave in a public area.

“So many people use it, kids, adults, dogs. It’s not just a threat to the public but also to native wildlife.

Sally emphasised that the people who left the litter must have used a bag to bring the beers to the beach in the first place and, therefore, should be able to use the same bag to pick up their litter before finding a bin.

According to Sally, there is a lack of bins at Hengistbury Head, and she believes that BCP Council could help the situation by providing more places for people to dump their rubbish.

She added: “There is a lack of bins at Hengistbury Head, but that is no excuse to leave your litter on the beach.

“There are only one or two bins at the beach and a couple more when you reach the café; I think it would be helpful if the council considered putting more in the area.”

A BCP Spokesperson said: “Taking litter home and protecting our precious environment is everyone's responsibility.

“For residents who don’t wish to take their litter home, there are multiple bins at Hengistbury Head. Waste capacity on site has recently increased."