THE last of the concrete barbecue pits beside a popular beach have been pulled down after a ban on using them was enforced.

Southend Council banned all barbecuing, both disposable and in the pits on East Beach, in July following years of mounting pressure from residents.

The Shoebury beach had been the only place in the borough where the public could barbecue on the beaches.

Residents began campaigning for the ban following a series of injuries, fires and damage to public benches, leading to a council consultation which resulted in a complete ban.

“We had the benches catch alight after people walked off and left their barbecues alight on them,” resident Peter Lovett said.

“I personally had to use a bucket to put out a fire,” he added.

“The disposable barbecues were a threat to safety as people would walk over scorching hot sand where one had been even hours earlier and hurt themselves.”

“No barbecue” signs have been put up at key entrance points to East Beach, including the walkthrough from the train station and on the sides of the public toilets.

The brick-built barbeque areas, which had been fenced off since July, have now been dismantled.

The ban came after a series of incidents where adults and children stepped on barbecues and sand where they had been used and became injured.

In one incident, a toddler from Great Wakering suffered major burns after scolding his feet on hot sand where a disposable barbecue had been used.

Carole Mulroney, councillor responsible for environment, culture and tourism, said: “In recent times, we have seen some serious injuries sustained by children on our beaches because people have not disposed of their barbecues safely and appropriately. Disposable barbecues are also extremely damaging to the environment, and we agreed to put a complete ban on barbecues and bonfires on our beaches and our foreshore areas across the entire seafront.

“As part of this, the brick-built barbecues at East Beach are being removed to avoid people using them when warmer weather returns. Signage will be in place before spring, advising residents and visitors of the ban, including fixed penalty notices being in operation for any infringement of the ban.”