Beauty spot's behaviour crackdown

Fires have the potential to destabilise all of the dune system

A council is considering urgent measures to prevent anti-social behaviour at a South West beauty spot.

Fires, litter, sheep worrying and illegal camping are being targeted at Northam Burrows, near Bideford, Devon.

The area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and parts of it are within the recently created UNESCO biosphere reserve.

Torridge District Council says it has become such a problem it is considering introducing mobile CCTV cameras.

Car ban

Other measures may include preventing cars from getting into the burrows during the night.

Although litter, sheep worrying and illegal overnight parking by camper vans are the main areas of concern, the increasing number of fires is a particular problem.

In the summer, the fires have the potential to destabilise the whole of the dune system, threatening the Burrows and its wildlife.

Torridge District Council says it is going to use existing legislation to prosecute offenders and wants the public to help by reporting offenders.