A plea towards people wild camping, starting campfires and leaving litter in Poppit Dunes has been made after countless reports of anti-social behaviour there.

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and Dyfed-Powys Police have made the appeal after encountering a spate of incidents involving camp fires and littering.

The dunes at Poppit are owned by the National Park Authority and are a part of the Poppit Beach and Cliffs Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

National Park Authority Ranger Richard Vaughan said: “We are very disappointed at the disrespectful way people are treating this protected site, which is home to an extremely fragile environment.

“The dunes are being continually affected by wild camping and campfires, which are destroying this special place in the National Park – a place, which should be conserved for everyone to enjoy.

"We would encourage people who wish to camp at Poppit to instead make use of one of the many fantastic campsites in and around the area.”

SSSIs are important as they support plants, animals and habitats that are rare, declining or unique; they also protect the best examples of Wales’s geology.

PCSOs will be patrolling the area regularly in the next few weeks in order to discourage any groups from camping there.

Local PCSO Gethin Lewis added: “Crymych Neighbourhood Policing Team would like to remind members of the public to please respect the direction given by the National Park Authority and to avoid camping on the beach and dunes. Of course we would like everyone to have fun but if any anti-social behaviour or any underage drinking is reported then the police service will have no choice but to enforce positive action.

“We would ask people to please camp in designated camping sites and not the dunes. Regular patrols will be conducted by Officers in attempt to deter any anti-social behaviour and low level crime.”