A seafront was left looking like a “bomb site” after thousands of people flocked to the coast this weekend.
With the sun finally shining on Kent, the beach in Folkestone was packed.
But this morning, disposable barbecues, crates of beer and glass bottles have been left abandoned on the pavements, with seagulls foraging through the rubbish.
Folkestone resident Liam Godfrey, who took pictures of the mess, told KentOnline: “It’s absolutely awful.
“I’ve lived here for seven years and this is the worst I’ve ever seen it with the litter.
“I was down at the beach yesterday and it was packed – it was great and it’s really nice to see it after the awful weather we’ve had.
“I really love seeing our town come alive and people enjoying themselves but come on, it’s like a bomb site.
“They come down from out of town, but the lack of respect they’ve shown is off the scale. They come down, park up, don’t go into town and don’t really contribute to the local economy and just leave their mess.”
With the warmer weather finally arriving, Mr Godfrey fears there could now be similar scenes every weekend this summer.
“This is a warning for what’s going to come,” he said.
“The lack of respect is off the charts and it really grinds my gears. Take your rubbish with you.
“Yesterday was probably the first day of summer and it’s lovely to see so many people at the beach, but to just think it can be left like this. What goes through people’s heads?
“We pay the council tax and for it to get cleared up but it can’t go on like this.”
Speaking on how the problem could be solved, Mr Godfrey says he thinks people need to be fined for not disposing of their litter properly.
He also says a “beach pass” could help, so people have to pay to visit and therefore contribute to the clean-up costs.
“I was frustrated and angry that these people weren’t treating our town with any respect. It stirs up negative feelings,” he said.
“Folkestone relies on summer trading – it goes dead in the winter – so I love to see it so busy. But then you come out the following morning and think, what the hell has gone wrong?”
It is not the first time litter has covered the pavements in Folkestone. Last June, a huge watermelon, a beach chair and aluminium picnic plates were among the rubbish left at the popular seaside spot after a sunny weekend.
Dog walkers told of how they had to pick up their pooches and carry them over the detritus, and one disgruntled litter picker, Stephen West, said he was horrified by the amount of rubbish along the Upper and Lower Leas.
Folkestone and Hythe District Council has been contacted for comment.