Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset was voted as one of the worst seaside towns in Britain last month.
Much to residents shock, the beautiful area has become plagued with poo as its water quality is so poor that the sea has turned brown.
Residents feel the area has become a ghost town and many people don’t want to live there anymore.
A survey by Which revealed accommodation and value for money were rated very low at just 49 percent.
The sea quality earned a particularly concerning result, with the lowest score possible. From the sea, there is also the view of a nuclear power plant which has been called an ‘eyesore’.
For locals, the abundance of dog poo on the streets is worrying and they say it has become a major issue in the town. Residents have spoken of their outrage at dog owners failing to clean up after their pets and which has left public spaces in a mess.
The council has launched a new policy of circling the dog poo with bright orange paint to avoid people stepping in it. Locals say the new initiative isn’t working and it would be better for them to clean the mess up instead.
One resident said: “It must take just as long to spray paint around it as it would to simply pop it in a doggy back and throw it in a bin. This policy is crazy.”
In addition to this issue and the poor sea quality, the general lack of attractiveness of the town doesn’t help, say locals.
The town has also experienced a rise in crime which residents say is linked to tourist season.
There is also a growing need for better safety with beach lifeguards some of the most needed workers in the town. In October last year, 68-year-old Peter Jeffrey tragically drowned while attempting to save a woman and her dog from harsh tides.
A spokesperson for Somerset Council said: “Like everywhere nationwide, it is the responsibility of every dog owner to pick up after their dog. The dog bins in Burnham-on-Sea are emptied on a daily basis. Somerset Council’s dog warden regularly patrols in Burnham and we have prosecuted irresponsible dog owners.”
Somerset Council also urged those who have concerns about anti-social behaviour to report it.