Spanish town declares war on umbrella 'beach hoggers'

A town in Spain is cracking down on holidaymakers who claim their beach spot with umbrellas - and then go off and leave them there for hours.

The town council of Almuñécar, on Spain's southern Costa Tropical, has decided to start shutting abandoned umbrellas and sealing them with yellow bands that include information about the ban on the practice, reports The Local.

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Currently, the move is about trying to inform people of proper beach etiquette, and there will be no fine or penalty.

However, if the move does not have an effect, officials may start removing umbrellas and then charging owners a fee of €30 to retrieve them.

The move is not an unprecedented one. Back in August 2015, holidaymakers at a resort on Spain's Costa del Sol started being fined for reserving a spot on the sand with towels or umbrellas.

Authorities in Torrox, southern Malaga, introduced the new law for the summer season, with police officers patrolling the town's beach to look for parasols and towels with no owners.

A charge of €30 was set to return the items to their owners.

The BBC reported that more than 30 seizures were made last year.

Torrox was targeted by officials due to the lack of space on the beach after towels, umbrellas and even tables were left on the sand.

A Torrox council spokesman told TravelMole: "It is infuriating to arrive at the beach and find all the space taken by towels and umbrellas, but hardly any people.

"Our new policy seems to having the desired effect, and as a result there is less wasted space on the beach and more room for everyone."