A beach promenade resembled a “bomb crater” after thousands of people flocked to the shore this weekend.
When the sun finally shone in Kent, the beach in Folkestone was crowded.
But this morning, disposable grills, beer crates and glass bottles lay abandoned on the sidewalks, and seagulls rummaged through the garbage.
Folkestone resident Liam Godfrey, who took photographs of the chaos, told KentOnline: “It’s absolutely horrific.
“I have lived here for seven years and I have never seen so much garbage.
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“I was down at the beach yesterday and it was packed – it was great and it’s really nice to see after the awful weather we’ve had.
“I really love seeing our city come to life and people having fun, but let’s be honest, it’s like a bomb crater.
“They come from out of town, but they show a huge lack of respect. They come, park, don’t go into town and don’t really contribute to the local economy, they just leave their dirt behind.”
With the weather finally getting warmer, Mr Godfrey fears similar scenes could occur every weekend this summer.
“This is a warning of what is to come,” he said.
“The lack of respect is limitless and really gets on my nerves. Take your rubbish with you.
“Yesterday was probably the first day of summer and it’s nice to see so many people on the beach, but the thought that you can leave it as it is. What’s going through people’s minds?
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“We pay the local tax and to have the whole thing cleaned up, but things cannot go on like this.”
When asked how the problem could be solved, Godfrey expressed the view that he believes people should be punished for not disposing of their garbage properly.
He also thinks that a “beach pass” could be helpful, so that people have to pay to visit and thus contribute to the cleaning costs.
“I was frustrated and angry that these people were not treating our city with respect. It creates negative feelings,” he said.
“Folkestone thrives on summer business – it’s dead in the winter – so I’m glad it’s so busy. But then you come out the next morning and think: what the hell went wrong?”
It is not the first time that rubbish has covered the pavements in Folkestone. Last June, after a sunny weekend, a giant watermelon, a beach chair and aluminium picnic plates were among the rubbish left at the popular seaside spot.
Dog owners reported having to lift their dogs and carry them over the rubbish, and Stephen West, an angry rubbish collector, said he was appalled by the amount of rubbish along the Upper and Lower Leas.
A spokesman for Folkestone and Hythe District Council said: “It’s sad when people leave litter unnecessarily, but this photo shows why leaving bags of rubbish next to bins isn’t as sensible as you might think.
“This encourages seagulls to knock over the bins and leave a terrible mess, having a negative impact on residents and visitors, as well as the environment and wildlife that call Folkestone & Hythe home. So if the bins are full or your rubbish doesn’t fit, please take it home with you.
“We are providing additional cleaning resources throughout the summer season and for the upcoming Armed Forces Day event organised by Folkestone Town Council. This is in addition to the additional bulk bins that have been placed in hotspots since April and our e-bike which is helping with collection in hard to reach areas along the seafront.
“However, these measures will only be successful if people dispose of their rubbish carefully while out and about.”