Safer summer for Studland

By eturner

NATURISTS and families will be able to enjoy life in Studland to the full this summer thanks to new community wardens who will patrol the beaches. Dorset Police have teamed up with the National Trust and Studland Beach Users Action Group for the initiative with three wardens having been trained to offer help and advice about issues such as littering, unauthorised fires and barbecues, dog fouling, illegal parking, sexual misconduct or threatening to bring naturism into disrepute.

Safer Neighbourhood Sergeant Des Connor said: "The Studland peninsula is a very safe place where families can enjoy the summer. This new multi-agency approach will make the beach area even safer. Studland has welcomed naturists for more than 90 years and continues to do so within an area designated as an official UK naturist beach. However, from time to time, we receive reports of sexual misconduct or activity that threatens to bring naturism into disrepute. Between summer 2005 and summer 2008, nine sexual offences were recorded in the Studland area and we want to keep this number as low as possible."

He emphasised: "We will not tolerate any unlawful behaviour and ask that all residents and visitors to the area respect the naturists and the freedom in which they wish to enjoy life. This new venture will reduce any opportunity for anti-social behaviour and provide even more high-visibility reassurance to all beach users that Studland is a safe place to be with their families."

The wardens will also be asking members of the public to fill-in a beach safety survey which will give partners indications on what to improve in the area.

The wardens will be highly-visible in bright yellow

T-shirts and will work alongside existing officers from Dorset Police. Uniformed officers, Special Constables and the Swanage Rural Safer Neighbourhood Team currently carry out patrols on foot and on quad bikes. The Community Support Vehicle, which offers the community a place of contact, will also be visiting the area on 23rd, 24th and 27th July and 1st, 10st, 14th, 17th August at Knoll Beach and the Studland ferry toll car park.

Emma Wright, visitor and services manager with the National Trust said: "Studland Beach is visited by a huge number of visitors each year who enjoy a vast array of activities from walking, swimming, kite flying to simply sunbathing. We want them all to have a positive and enjoyable experience from a fun day out. We welcome the partnership approach to achieving this and having more eyes and ears on the ground."