Digger barred from beach festival

Competitors have two hours to build their entry

A man who wanted to use a 16-tonne digger to assist him in a seaside sandcastle competition has been banned from taking part.

The West Sussex seafront trader submitted the request to judges of the Sands of Time festival, which gets underway in Bognor Regis on Saturday.

They said Darrell Hardy would have an unfair advantage in the competition, which is open to children and offers a top prize of £300.

Its not very fair competition when you've got children with their bucket and spade and someone's there with a digger

Co-ordinator Paul Wells

The news comes after it emerged that children going on the donkey rides at the festival will have to wear hard hats for the first time.

The sandcastle competition takes place on Sunday, the final day of the festival, which also features fireworks, a funfair and Bognor history exhibitions.

Co-ordinator Paul Wells said it was not the first time Mr Hardy had been barred from entering the four-year-old event.

Speaking from Bognor seafront to BBC News Online, he said: "Last year the entrant asked us whether he could use a mini-digger to help build his entry.

"When we said no, he turned up on the beach a few days before with a JCB digger, making a protest to local media.

Sand sculptures can be highly elaborate

"We've just thought it's not very fair competition when you've got little children with their bucket and spade and you've got an entrant there with a huge mechanical digger."

Mr Wells explained that since the competition began in 1997, it had attracted people from as far away as Watford and Kent.

"We've even had people from Australia here as well, but I think they were just in Bognor on holiday and popped down to see what was happening," he added.

There are two categories, with the top prize going to the best sandcastle and a further £150 available for the winning sand sculpture.

The entries are judged not only on size, but how imaginative the designs are.

Mr Wells added: "We haven't had any protest about this year's ban yet, but we are expecting something."