HUNDREDS of potentially dangerous nails, screws and staples have been found in the sand at a popular Ards peninsula beach.
The dangerous objects were discovered during a litter pick along Cloughey beach at the weekend when volunteers spent hours ‘on their hands and knees’ gathering an estimated 1,000 four inch nails, according to Strangford MLA, Kellie Armstrong.
The sharp items were found on a strip of the beach closest to Portavogie on Sunday, by a community effort involving volunteers from the Cloughey and District Community Association (CDCA) and the charity, Live Here, Love Here.
Ms Armstrong believes the nails were the remnants of an eleventh night bonfire held on the beach in July and possibly others held in previous years.
The Alliance Assemblywoman is now writing to the Department for Agriculture, the Environment and Rural Affairs to seek clarification on the regulations governing bonfires on beaches.
Ms Armstrong, who lives near Cloughey, said she found out about the nails when a friend who was holidaying in the area told her about ‘a load of nails’ on the beach. “Thankfully as the litter pick was the next day, a few of us headed to the spot. We were shocked by the number of nails lying or sticking up out of the sand, there were hundreds and hundreds of huge nails.”
“At the Portavogie end of the beach, volunteers had to spend over an hour lifting hundreds of four inch nails, screws and staples that were embedded in the sand,” said Ms Armstrong.
She said volunteers spent hours ‘on their hands and knees’ collecting the objects from the beach and warned walkers of the dangers, particularly since they could be confused with seaweed from a distance.
“We lifted as many nails as we could see. Thankfully, we cleared over 1,000 but there is a risk more nails may come to the surface. From a distance you could mistake the nails as rust coloured seaweed.
“I would ask all enjoying the beach near Cloughey Holiday Park caravans to be careful when walking barefoot and to keep dogs away from the area. Stepping on a 4-inch nail could do terrible damage.”
Ms Armstrong explained how it was discovered that the likely source of the items were the bonfires.
“As we were trying to clear the area, a few caravaners came to see what we were up to. When we explained, they confirmed some Park residents held their annual eleventh night bonfire on the spot where the nails lay.”
“If I could ask anyone who is having a bonfire to please remove any nails left after wood has burned away. Children and families play in the area where the nails were found. The nails could seriously hurt someone and destroy their trip to one of the most beautiful beaches in Northern Ireland.”
Ms Armstrong said the beach was likely in the ownership of the Crown Estate or local farmers, and hoped DAERA could help identify exactly who is responsible for enforcing bonfire regulations.
She added her thanks to all the volunteers who spent so long removing the nails from the sand.
