Ban the booze on Thanet’s award-winning sands.

That’s what one Broadstairs resident is demanding after drunken youths spoiled the weekend sunshine for some families at Viking Bay.

Litter louts left the beach strewn with bottles, cans, food wrappers and used nappies after their days in the sun.

Fitness instructor John McCormack is outraged at what he saw and warned: “Families will be driven away from our bays if this behaviour continues. People are too scared to approach the drunken gangs.”

Fellow resident Barbara Williams added: “It was unbelievable. The beach looked like a rubbish heap. It was the worst I have seen it.”

Mr McCormack, who has had a beach chalet at Viking Bay for eight years, said: “I have never seen it so bad. My wife and twin ten-year-old girls were surrounded by crowds of young people drinking and swearing.

"Being under the influence of drink there was no thought at all for the young children that were around them. I saw another lad smash a glass bottle and just bury it in the sand.

“The bad language was disgusting, again all down to cheap booze. Something must be done, otherwise Broadstairs beach will become a no-go zone for families.

“Every year this gets worse and worse. The bottom line is there is no respect by these young people for their environment or other people.”

Thanet council leader Cllr Sandy Ezekiel stressed that a ban on drinking alcohol in public places is in force across the district.

He said: “I am aware that responsible drinkers like to enjoy a glass of wine or beer with their beach picnics or at their beach huts, but these reports of young people swigging back booze and behaving like louts is not the sort of image we want in our area.

“Troublemakers will not be tolerated and I will investigate whether our Police Community Support Officers can include the beaches and bays in their patrols. We must act to protect our assets such as our lovely beaches.

“Our sands are cleaned every morning, otherwise we would not get so many clean and safe beach awards each year.”