'Folk are just plain lazy': Photo of litter lining Blackpool beach sparks anger over 'disrespectful' visitors

This photo, taken by Gazette photographer Dan Martino from Central Pier on Thursday, showed rubbish - including cans and plastic bags and bottles - lining the shore at the end of a warm day that saw people flocking to the beach.

Blackpool Council, which cleans the sands every single day of the year to keep the beaches tidy, was among those to condemn the "disgusting" and "awful" attitude of those who leave their litter behind.

Here's what readers had to say:

People don't care they think others should clean up after them! Shirley Milligan

It's the holidaymakers that leave the rubbish - out of season the beach was clean and beautiful. Lynn Pawson

Council should employ more people to clean (it) up as the awful society we live in these days ain’t gonna do it. Gareth Kelly

Not all holiday makers leave their rubbish. We absolutely love Blackpool, and have never seen the beach looking trashed like that. That is lazy, disrespectful people that have done that. I would say most of us who visit, love the place and wouldn't dream of trashing it. Carol Ward

That's because so many people just leave their rubbish lying on the beach. We were at St Annes beach the other day and when the rain came everyone just ran and you should have seen all the rubbish just left over from people. It takes one second to pick up your own litter and take it with you. Stephanie Robinson

Maybe if the holidaymakers would be so kind to take their rubbish with them and off the beach when they leave that may help this situation. Zoe Heaton

The day trippers & holidaymakers do leave rubbish. I have seen dirty nappies by the side of the road, even used sanitary towels - disgusting. There are plenty of bins on the prom. We walk it almost every day - folk are just plain lazy. Jacqueline M Keefe

It’s the holidays makers that leave the rubbish in the first place. I see it happen on a daily basis with having shops on the prom. Marleen Kelly

Perhaps those on pay back in the community could be tasked with cleaning the beaches each morning. It would be a useful way of giving service to the community. Fine visitors dropping litter on the beach too by employing safety wardens to monitor the beaches. Lesley Sargeant

Absolutely disgusting. People need to take more responsibility. It’s the age old “it’s someone’s job to clean up after me”. David Holmes

Weird. I was down on Blackpool beach yesterday morning and it was almost spotless with a guy picking up the few bits of litter there were. Michael Foster

Unfortunately it’s holidaymakers who are scum that are leaving their litter, it needs patrols and heavy fines also photographs of the guilty to name and shame... disgusting. Steve Lynton