July 26, 2019 1.53 pm This story is over 57 months old

New police beach hut opens in Mablethorpe

It will be open during the school holidays
A new police beach hut has opened in Mablethorpe. Photo: Lincolnshire Police

A new police beach hut has opened in Mablethorpe for the summer season so officers can engage with the public during the busiest time of year.

Local officers will be at the hut – chalet number 44 at Queens Park – which opened on Friday, July 26 and will remain open during the school holidays. The hut was donated to the force for 2019 by Mablethorpe & Sutton on Sea Town Council.

Subject to operational needs the hut expected to have a police officer or staff member there every day during the school holidays.

Officers at the hut will also be talking to families about Sandi Starfish – Lincolnshire Police’s initiate to help reunite children with their parents or carers if they go missing on the beach.

Sergeant Cherry Kelly said: “The chalet is absolutely beautiful and located on a beautiful stretch of the beach. It was kindly donated to us for 2019 by Mablethorpe & Sutton on Sea Town Council and we’re just thrilled with it.

“Holidaymakers are a community in themselves over the summer so not only does the chalet give us that presence at the very heart of the community during the busy summer months, meaning we can respond quickly to any live incidents that might occur as well as actively engaging with the public, but when the season dies down in the Winter we can use it to show other chalet owners how to protect their property.

“Some of the chalets are vandalised in the colder months and we want to show owners how to protect them. Ours has been decked out with fire resistant paint, specific locks and bars, and special film over the windows. While I would love to have my team patrol the chalet area permanently, it’s just not possible and so we’re hoping that showing owners how to protect their huts will help prevent any damage to them.”

Officers even had a hand in decorating the hut with PCSOs using their rest days to make curtains, bunting and even a cake for the opening day.

Sgt Kelly, her team, and Lincolnshire Police also gave special thanks to P & R Decorators Centre (Skegness), Coo-Var Paints (Hull), Buildbase (Alford), Watson Home Hardware (Sutton on Sea), AC Engineering (Burgh le Marsh) and AMS Bolts and Distribution (Alford).