by Joseph Draper, LBC
It’s a warm summer evening on Bournemouth’s bustling seafront.
Families enjoy the amusements at the historic pier, revellers drink on the sand, and the coastline is packed with people as far as the eye can see.
Bournemouth has been one of Britain’s most beloved holiday resorts since the Victorian era.
But a spate of antisocial behaviour, stabbings, and sexual assaults in recent years has left many feeling unsafe.
It has prompted a new volunteer group to patrol the streets, wearing high-viz vests as they look out for signs of trouble.
Families enjoy the amusements at the historic pier, revellers drink on the sand, and the coastline is packed with people as far as the eye can see.
Bournemouth has been one of Britain’s most beloved holiday resorts since the Victorian era.
But a spate of antisocial behaviour, stabbings, and sexual assaults in recent years has left many feeling unsafe.
It has prompted a new volunteer group to patrol the streets, wearing high-viz vests as they look out for signs of trouble.
On its first patrol, the group’s founder Gary Bartlett says all his volunteers are carefully vetted.
The main aim, he says, is to help Dorset Police keep people safe – but the group is yet to be endorsed by the force, which says it has reduced antisocial behaviour in the town by almost 20% in the last year.
Gary, who runs a roofing business, said: “I’ve grown up here and seen it as a great town – now my daughter says she won’t come to Bournemouth on her own. It’s lawless. If we can stop something from happening, that’s a good thing.”