MY family and I have lived in Bournemouth since the 1970s, making it our home to allow our children to grow up with the sea and the beautiful beaches.

I am now in my 50s and my wife and I were totally shocked on a recent visit to the town centre beach around the pier.

It was 8pm and the beach was still very busy. The air was thick with the smell of instant barbecues, dogs on the beach, dirty nappies in the sand, discarded whisky bottles, beer cans, food and all manner of litter, just left by visitors.

I have never seen this kind of mess on a foreign holiday beach, so why do we have to put up with it? In fact, it looked as if someone had emptied an entire year’s garbage over the sand.

Now I do appreciate that this is cleaned up overnight, ready for the next day, but what is this costing the local taxpayer, and why can’t we have zero tolerance laws and fine these dirty people?

May I mention that a child on holiday in Cornwall last week was badly burned, due to hot coals buried in the sand? It is also now evident, after speaking to a community support police officer, that this litter issue has now extended into the gardens, particularly around the balloon area. The officer told us that he had no powers to deal with these people and that it is a council responsibility.

So if, by chance, a councillor is reading this letter, could you please go and visit the beach to see for yourself and make this a priority discussion at your next meeting, so we may have pride in our seaside town once again?

STEVE SMITH, Hayes Avenue