THE shocking scenes which showed one North-East beach covered in litter, including beer bottles and cans has been described as a "slap in the face."
North Tyneside Council said it had been forced to clear rubbish left strewn on Tynemouth Longsands beach until 10pm, before having to resume at 6am today.
SEE MORE: Shocking scenes after Tynemouth beach left ruined by rubbish
Responding to scenes Phil Scott, Head of Environment, Housing and Leisure at North Tyneside Council slammed those who showed "little respect" for the area.
Those comments were echoed by the North-East rep at the marine conservation charity, Surfers Against Sewage, who described scenes as "heartbreaking."
Mr Scott said: “The majority who came to enjoy the fine weather at the coast yesterday did so safely and responsibly.
"Unfortunately, a small number of people showed how little respect they have for our award-winning beaches by leaving piles of rubbish on the sand.
“This is a real slap in the face for our staff and local volunteers who work so hard to keep our award-winning coastline clean and tidy.
"We had staff out collecting rubbish until 10pm on Tuesday and they were back on the job at 6am using a tractor to clear rubbish that was left overnight."
The council had spent the past few months preparing for its beaches to see an influx of visitors once restrictions were eased.
It had developed a series of measures in response to residents' concerns, including more bin provisions to prevent littering.
Mr Scott said: "The council has been putting in additional measures to ensure our open spaces are maintained to a high standard as lockdown restrictions are eased.
"This includes extra bins along the seafront, extending the hours our collection teams work, and deploying more wardens with enforcement powers to help tackle environment issues in the borough.
“Volunteers also do a fantastic job and give their time, often in the early hours, to pick up litter left by others and help us keep our beaches and open spaces the way they should be.
"I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them and to make the point that everyone must share the responsibility for keeping our open spaces clean and tidy."
In an urgent plea to those using the beach, Mr Scott added: "Our message to people who are littering is quite simple – please either use one of the many bins provided along the seafront or take your litter home.”
SEE MORE: Shocking scenes after Tynemouth beach left ruined by rubbish
Chad Male, a North-East representative of Surfers Against Sewage, raised concerns over the cost to the taxpayer on clearing up after other peoples' mess.
He said: "The scenes from our region's beaches and parks over the last day have been heartbreaking.
"North Tyneside Council were out until late last night, and were back up at 6am collecting rubbish on Longsands in particular.
"But there's only so much they can do and it will be costing them a small fortune to keep on top of it.
"A minority still flout the collective responsibility to keep our coastlines litter-free and we need to see more education on the dangers of marine litter.
"It poses a serious danger to surfers, beach users, recreational water users, and the stunning wildlife and marine habitats across the North-East.
"We'd like to say thanks to council workers and volunteers across the region for helping to clean it up, and encourage everyone to take their rubbish home."
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