Couples have been caught having sex in cars, children's play parks, woods and even the street, KentOnline can reveal.

Police have been called to more than 50 reports of lovers doing the deed in public, people exposing themselves or others "outraging public decency" in Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay in the past three years.

They included a couple caught in the act in a car park in Reculver Drive, Herne Bay, in December 2011.

The complaints also involved perverts flashing at shopping centres, pubs and a nature reserve – but of the 51 incidents, only 11 resulted in arrests.

In July 2012 another couple were spotted engaging in sexual activity in a recreation ground off Burton Fields in Herne Bay.

The next month, police slapped a caution on someone spotted performing a sex act in the woodland beauty spot at Thornden Wood Road, Herne Bay.

Then in May 2013, Kenny Milne, the former manager of Pathways House drug and alcohol treatment centre in Rochester Avenue, Canterbury, was charged with outraging public decency after exposing himself to neighbours.

The 49-year-old was handed a three-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court.

In September last year, three people were charged with exposure in a department store in St George's Street in the city.

Police were also called to a hotel in Canterbury High Street in December 2013 to reports of over-amorous guests in public view.

This year, officers have received 14 reports of sex acts in public.

In April, police were told someone had exposed themselves at the Whitehall Meadows nature reserve, off Whitehall Road, Canterbury, but no arrests were made.

Two months later, a man was reported to have been committing a sex act by a footpath in All Saints Close, Whitstable.

In the same month, the force also received complaints when cyclists were seen riding naked through the city for the World Naked Bike Ride.

But police said they took no action because of difficulties collecting evidence.

Two months ago, a couple was reported to be engaging in a sex act in the woods at Thornden Wood Road, but no one was found when officers investigated.

Insp Kevin Dyer said: "Where we are made aware of reports or complaints involving this sort of activity, they are taken seriously and are dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

"A variety of crimes could be reported to police, including gross indecency, public order, assault and any sexual offence.

"Though to some, committing a sexual act in public may seem like a bit of fun, I would urge people to think about the consequences of their actions.

"Different people view such things in very different ways and it may cause an individual a great deal of alarm or distress."