A Welsh councillor has issued a plea asking anyone who has taken a pebble from the local beach to bring it back. The plea has been made out of worry that thousands of pebbles have been taken from the beach over the years, damaging the seaside village’s coastal defences. Councillor Chris Williams asked people to return stones back to the strand on Saundersfoot beach.
In a post shared on Saundersfoot Connect, he described how it is actually illegal to take rocks and pebbles from most beaches. The pebbles were brought in as a sea defence to protect the Strand area of the village. Williams stated, “These have been brought in over the years to protect the properties and businesses. PCC and property owners are looking at holding a meeting to discuss this ongoing problem of raising sea levels and how we can combat that in the short and long term.”
People had removed pebbles from the beach to paint as part of a fundraising exercise, which Williams acknowledged. He stressed the importance of the stones to the properties on the strand, noting that without the stones, the gardens would be washed away. Williams emphasized the significant impact on the Strand and its properties and highlighted the role the pebbles play in protecting the coastline.
Cllr Williams expanded on his comment, stating, “We’re probably all guilty of picking up that pretty pebble as a souvenir of the seaside.” He emphasised the community’s need for every pebble in Saundersfoot and highlighted the upcoming meeting to discuss coastal erosion and rising sea levels. He urged people to return any pebbles they had taken from the beach to address the issue effectively.