Extra patrols for the Bank Holiday weekend

With nice weather forecast for the Bank Holiday weekend, extra police patrols are planned to keep coastal areas of Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan safe.

Operation Elstree will take in key locations including Cardiff Bay, Penarth and Barry Island, as well as the Heritage Coastline stretch between Rhoose Point and Ogmore-by-Sea.

From lunchtime today (Friday, May 28) until Tuesday morning, Section 35 notices will be in place to prevent anti-social behaviour (ASB) in Ogmore by Sea, Barry Island and the Oval Basin in Cardiff Bay.

Section 35 notices give officers the power to move people on from an area if they are acting in an anti-social manner.

This weekend, officers will be working closely with colleagues from the respective Local Authorities to face down the challenges experienced at the various hot spots, as well as colleagues from British Transport Police following a recent increase in rail users to local coastal areas.

This team effort is intended to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour while ensuring the quiet enjoyment of coastal areas for law-abiding residents and visitors.

Chief Inspector Bella Rees said: "The vast majority of people who visit our beautiful coastal areas behave appropriately and in accordance with the regulations.

"But we will not tolerate the behaviour of a minority who consume excess alcohol and ruin the quiet enjoyment for law-abiding citizens.

"Anti-social behaviour and criminality has a detrimental impact on our communities and we will continue to work with our partners to proactively patrol key areas to prevent such activity."

Operation Elstree was launched  earlier this month and will run throughout the spring and summer months.

During the first weekend of Op Elstree, four intoxicated men from Pontypool were ordered to leave Ogmore by Sea due to their behaviour and have received ASB stage 1 warning letter.

On the second weekend, officers confiscated alcohol from a group of 60-plus young people moving between The Knap and Romilly Park, where they also seized suspected Class-A drugs, hidden in a bush.

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