Accident On Gower Sparks BBQ Safety Warning

Swansea Council is urging beach-goers to be responsible after a little girl burned her feet on a hot barbecue left on the floor at a Gower attraction on the weekend. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The accident happened in a pebbled area at Rotherslade Bay, one of the locations where the council installed a special BBQ bin last month to help people dispose of their barbecue waste responsibly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council, which litter picks at popular coastal attractions every day during the summer months, is also calling on people to either use bins or take their waste home with them after trips to the beach. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This call comes after mounds of bottles, cans, crisp packets and other waste were left on the floor over the weekend at locations including the stepped area off the promenade close to Swansea Civic Centre. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Mark Child, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Healthy City and Wellbeing, said: “We’re so lucky to live so close to a world class coastline here in Swansea Bay and while we encourage residents and visitors to enjoy our stunning beaches, we’d also remind them to do so responsibly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’re outraged that a little girl’s feet have been burned by barbecue waste irresponsibly left on the floor at Rotherslade Bay – one of two locations where special BBQ bins have now been installed as part of a trial scheme we’ve put in place alongside Mumbles Community Council. Visitors to Rotherslade Bay and Langland Bay really have no excuse not to use the BBQ bins that are now there, and people who choose to have BBQs on other beaches across Swansea should also be mindful of their responsibility to clear up properly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“If you’re having a BBQ on the beach, then don’t just leave it there and cover it with sand or pebbles. That’s a lazy and irresponsible thing to do that puts the safety of other beach-goers at risk. Please either use a bin instead or take all waste home with you if the bins are full. We do all we can to litter-pick and empty bins as often as possible, but it’s impossible for our staff to be everywhere at once. You can do your bit to help them and preserve the beauty of our beaches and coastline by doing the right thing and disposing of your waste safely and responsibly.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The two specially constructed BBQ bins are available at Rotherslade and Langland until the end of September. Depending on the scheme’s success, similar bins could be introduced at other popular coastal spots in Swansea in future. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​