Six new high-tech bins designed to crush rubbish and notify the council when they need emptying have been installed along Deal seafront.

Dover District Council (DDC) has paid out £37,440 on the larger capacity waste containers as part of work to keep the town and beaches clean and tidy.

It follows complaints from residents and visitors about litter spilling out of the bins near the Pier and North of the Royal Hotel.

This includes in April 2017 when we reported how residents were blaming weekenders from London for filling up general litter bins on the seafront with household rubbish in purple sacks (pictured below)

The devices, which are already in place in coastal towns like Folkestone, are known as Big Belly Bins. They are solar powered and have special compactors so they can take even more rubbish.

They also have a built-in sensor that constantly monitors how full the bin is, and sends messages back to the council’s contractor before it needs emptying.

Cllr Nick Kenton, DDC cabinet member for environment, waste and health said: “We have some fantastic beaches in Dover District, but it’s important that we all work together to keep them clean.

"We are delighted to be able to install these new bins, and to continue to work with our partners to keep our beaches beautiful and our bathing water excellent.”

David White, chairman of the Deal Society, helped advise DDC on where the bins would be best placed.

Deal Pier and Walmer Green were the areas identified to be most in need.

He said: "It's a good move forward to help solve the problem that we had this year with litter on the beaches"

Match-funding was provided by Southern Water, as part of the Beauty of the Beach campaign.

The beach around Deal Castle was selected by Southern Water as one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ beaches where the water company is working alongside local authorities and others to improve and maintain the bathing water quality as part of a major Bathing Water Enhancement Programme (BWEP).

Deal is seeing an investment of around £3.9m to help protect and enhance the area’s good bathing water quality.

The Enhancement Programme was launched following an investigation into factors influencing water quality.

For more information on beaches in Dover District, and on the Beauty of the Beach campaign, please see www.dover.gov.uk/beaches