AN AYR dad who found the beach covered in litter days after lockdown measures were eased has backed calls for the five mile restriction to be made law.

Phillip Elliot, 32, was horrified to find empty cans and discarded packets of food left lying at the shore front as he walked his dog shortly after the hot spot was packed with revellers out enjoying the sun.

The retail worker has been out every day during lockdown taking his dog and six-year-old daughter out by the River Ayr and down to the beach, which was left spotless.

But just days after Nicola Sturgeon allowed people to meet up with friends from another household, he found a sorry sight.

Philip believes flocks of people have come from outside Ayr to the town – many travelling more than five miles from home – and left a mess behind them.

He told the Advertiser: “I have been walking my dog along the river Ayr and down the beach through lockdown. I really noticed just how beautiful the beach was.

“But the first weekend that lockdown restrictions are only just slightly eased then it’s like that again.

“It’s a real shame, we’ve had eight to 10 weeks trash free. Now this.”

Phillip took pictures of the mess and shared them on Facebook which attracted an angry response.

He feels that lockdown guidance was broken as swathes of punters headed to Ayr to soak up the good weather.

Instead, Philip spent the day at nearby Doonfoot beach which he says was spotless.

He said: “It really worries me. It’s not difficult for people to come down here and bag up their rubbish. Has no one learned anything?

“Local people are outraged, they’ve not seen it at all during lockdown.

“But it’s not just that, people have clearly travelled more than five miles to come here. There is talk of that being made law, I think it’s time that it does become stricter.”

Phillip also thinks it’s unfair on local children having to see their beach in a mess again.

He added: “I’ve got a daughter and when I was down that night there was a woman walking with her children.

“It’s appalling. You don’t want your children seeing that.

“ It’s really quite sad.”

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