ANGLERS who take their four-wheel-drive vehicles onto Horden Beach, Durham, have been warned that their vehicles could be towed away if they continue this practice.

Hordon Beach is fast becoming recognised as a nature reserve and following consultation between Easington District Council, English Nature and the National Trust, it has been announced that vehicles will now be banned from the beach.

Any person found on the beach in a vehicle will have the registration details taken and if they continue to do so the vehicle will be towed away. The owner will also be charged storage until the vehicle is reclaimed and if the vehicle is not collected it will be sold or destroyed.

Local anglers are outraged at the news as this could put a complete stop to angling in the area as the local car parks are not secure enough to leave vehicles.

TSF correspondent Alan Charlton told us: “Vehicles left in the relevant car parks are regularity targeted by vandals. Windows are smashed, tyres are slashed and in many cases the vehicles are even burnt out. A good friend of mine has just had £300 worth of damage done to his car.

“The complaints from anglers about the damage to their vehicles do seem to have gone unheeded, while the needs of the wildlife are foremost. Come on the local constabulary, how about protecting the rights of the anglers too?”

Total Sea Fishing