A MOTHER has criticised access to a Dorset beach, saying it is “massively difficult” for her disabled daughter to enjoy a day out at the seaside.

Carly Ashton, a mother of two from Mudeford, is calling for improved disabled facilities at Mudeford Beach to make access easier for her daughter and other young children.

She said: “You don’t see any disabled kids on the beach."

Carly’s daughter Esme is 18 months old and has a rare genetic condition that causes severe epilepsy, learning delays and hypertonia.

Esme requires a specialist buggy, which Carly says is difficult to drag across the sand.

She said: “I can’t just leave it on the promenade, and I can’t really carry her onto the beach like a normal baby as she is tube fed and has her equipment on her.

“We can walk to the beach from our house. Why should Esme miss out? And it means her three-year old brother misses out too.”

Carly said although many beaches in the area offer access to the promenade, they do not provide a pathway onto the sand for wheelchair uses.

She said: “Avon Beach, Steamer Point, and Highcliffe Beach all have ramps from the cliff, but there is no actual beach access or even proper disability changing facilities.”

Bournemouth Echo: Carly sent in this photo and said: "Me trying to hold Ez so she can feel the sand and sea"Carly sent in this photo and said: "Me trying to hold Ez so she can feel the sand and sea"

Councillor Lesley Deadman said Esme’s struggles to access the beach were “absolutely disgraceful”.

She has previously called for better access to beaches in the area, and in particular the clean-up of sand from a legacy path used by wheelchair users to access Gundimore beach.

Lesley added: “The path was put there to facilitate healthy access for all people. The beach has been utterly neglected since this administration.”

The Daily Echo shared Carly’s story with BCP Council, and asked about disabled access on Mudeford beach.

Their spokesperson said: “Across our seafront we have accessible parking spaces available on the promenade between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers, accessible toilet facilities on the seafront for easier access onto the sand, beach-going wheelchairs fitted with balloon tyres that are available on loan from Bournemouth, Boscombe, Branksome Chine and Sandbanks beach offices and Mobi-Mats to help wheelchair users move easily from the promenade onto the sand and closer to the sea in place between May and September.

“But there’s a lot more we can do to make our seafront welcoming and easy-to-navigate for everyone. We’re looking at more ways to ensure all visitors are able to relish what is already recognised as one of the best coasts in the world.”