For stealing pebbles from the beach, the authorities of British Cornwall are ready to fine mercilessly
As BBC notes, Crackington Haven cove, where the tourist vacationed, is one of the most picturesque places in Cornwall, and thousands of tourists take pebbles from here as souvenirs. However, the local council, which owns 57 beaches in the county, is sounding the alarm, claiming that this practice harms the coastal ecology.
"At first glance, it's harmless, but given how many stones are taken away year after year by thousands and thousands of tourists, there is a real threat of coastal erosion, destruction of natural flood defenses, and extermination of flora and fauna," says a representative of the local council.
Many understand the county authorities' desire to combat this phenomenon, but according to tourists and locals, they are doing it very aggressively. For example, warning signs with very harsh and discourteous wording were installed along the entire length of the beach at the end of July.
"Besides spoiling the magnificent view, these signs also create an atmosphere as if we are in a police state," complains local resident Jackie Carpenter.
"It's a shame that because of stone theft, our beach is now littered with these yellow-red signs threatening terrible punishments. They are terribly ugly, ominous, and there are too many of them," says local artist Jen Dixon.
"I have heard tourists walking along the coast say how hostile these signs look," shares another local resident, Lisa Ward.
"Those who saw how badly the beach was damaged by a storm a few years ago know how destructive water can be. Remove the pebbles from here, and this shore will be destroyed after every storm," explains the actions of the local council its employee Barry Jordan. He also reminds that removing stones or sand from beaches is prohibited by the Coastal Protection Act, passed back in 1949.
Due to negative public reaction, two signs were nevertheless removed by the local council last Tuesday.