Bins left overflowing as thousands descend on Brighton seafront

Sunny skies and warmer weather drew huge numbers to the seafront, but some selfish visitors left their mark by discarding litter on the promenade and pebbles.

Pictures show piles of pizza boxes, beer bottles and plastic bags and more stacked against overflowing bins near West Pier.

Bins were left overflowing as thousands descended on Brighton and Hove seafront during a warm weekend

Brighton and Hove City Council say the unprecedented crowds "resembled the numbers of people we get on a warm summer’s day".

As a result, the authority has put its spring and summer bin collections in place early to stay on top of the situation.

A council spokesman said: "These include adding an extra 70 large communal-sized black bins, recruiting extra permanent and summer street cleansing staff, using additional agency staff, increasing our bin emptying capacity from one to two trucks and using better signage on the bins.

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"We’re also working with seafront businesses and local tidy-up groups to help tackle the problem of litter at the seafront."

There are currently almost 400 bins along the seafront. So, the council said, there is "no excuse" for discarding rubbish on or near a bin.

The council spokesman said: "If the closest bin is full, we’re asking people to please find one that isn’t full, or take their rubbish home.

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“There’s no excuse for leaving litter either on the beach or beside a bin that’s already full.

"If people are prepared to carry food packaging, cans, bottles and plastics onto the beach, they must take responsibility for their litter and take it away and dispose of it properly."

Anyone caught dropping litter, not clearing it up or not disposing of it responsibly will be issued with a £150 on-the-spot fine if caught by the council's enforcement officers.