A RENEWED appeal has been made to treat Poppit Sands with respect.

Following the news of a police crackdown in the area following a flood of complaints regarding anti-social behaviour, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority has now issued its own appeal.

National Park staff have had to repeatedly remove litter from the area, including camping equipment and glass bottles.

The dunes at Poppit are owned by the National Park Authority and are a part of the Poppit Beach and Cliffs Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

National Park Authority Ranger Richard Vaughan said: “We are very disappointed at the disrespectful way people are treating this protected site, which is home to an extremely fragile environment.

“The dunes are being continually affected by wild camping and campfires, which are destroying this special place in the National Park – a place, which should be conserved for everyone to enjoy.

“We would encourage people who wish to camp at Poppit to instead make use of one of the many fantastic campsites in and around the area.”

SSSIs are important as they support plants, animals and habitats that are rare, declining or unique; they also protect the best examples of Wales’s geology.

Police will be continue to patrol the area regularly in the next few weeks in order to discourage any groups from camping there.

PCSO Gethin Lewis, who is part of the local policing team for Crymych, St Dogmaels and Cilgerran, said: “We would like everyone to enjoy their visit to the area but if any anti-social behaviour or any under-age drinking is reported then we will have no choice but to enforce positive action.

“We would ask people especially during the summer nights to camp in designated camping sites and not the dunes.

“In recent weeks Dyfed-Powys Police has received reports of criminal damage in Poppit Sands which are being investigated.”