London - Plans have been unveiled for Britain’s first no smoking beach on the coast of Wales.
No smoking signs are likely to go up at Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, with the ban likely to be extended to other beaches along the National Park coastline.
Officials claim they are taking a drastic step to discourage young people from taking up the smoking habit on holiday.
But pro-smoking campaigners called the plan for Pembrokeshire – a coastline with more Blue Flag beaches than anywhere in Britain – “idiotic and bonkers”.
Council environment chief Huw George said: “We want young people to think that smoking isn’t the norm and want to instill in them a healthy lifestyle.
“There is also the problem of cigarette stubs littering the beaches and being washed out to sea endangering fish and birds.”
The council is expected to approve the ban before the start of the holiday season next year, probably at popular Barafundle Bay, run by the National Trust.
Anti-smoking campaigner Jamie Matthews said: “This is the first council in the UK to consider a smoking ban on beaches.”
An area of Bournemouth beach has a no smoking zone in a child play area but the Pembrokeshire plan is the first for an entire beach.
Signs will be put up on the beach – but the ban will be self-policing as officials encourage holidaymakers to obey the rule rather than having wardens enforcing it.
The Pembrokeshire council also aims to ban smoking in parks, sports grounds, playing fields and even car parks to curb smoking in public.
Daily Mail