COMMUNITY leaders hope to claim an unowned beach as their own.

Dan Casey, district councillor for Jaywick, and resident Mick Masterson want to adopt Jaywick Beach.

They want to put together a team of up to 30 people to keep the beach clean, and hope it will lead to more facilities, such as a coffee stall, deck chairs and a beach safety team.

No one owns Jaywick Beach, which means unlike other beaches in Clacton, Harwich and along the Tendring coastline, it is not cleaned, patrolled by lifesaving seafront wardens or a first aid post, or covered by a ban on dogs in the summer.

Mr Masterson has previously looked into trying to take over formal ownership of the beach by submitting documents to the Land Registry, but says he has given up on the idea. He said: “We don’t want ownership because it comes with responsibilities, but anyone that is interested in the beach can go for the adoption or guardianship.”

Mr Casey is waiting to get more information on the Adopt-a-Beach scheme. He said: “If we can do something with the beach, it is good for Jaywick and good for everybody else.

“It is a beautiful beach but everybody says they don’t want anything to do with it and nobody seems to own it.”

The Marine Conservation Society runs the Adopt-a-Beach scheme to get volunteers involved in cleaning beaches.

Rachel Bailey, a litter projects officer at the society, said: “We all love going to the seaside but it’s horrible to go to a beach and see it covered in litter.

“By taking part in Adopt-a-Beach, people can make a big difference to their locality and help protect our marine environment.

“Many groups have been running for years and people find it a great way to meet people and do something positive for their local environment. They notice a difference after they finish the beach clean, and help to raise awareness of litter problems.”

n To get involved, call Mr Casey on 01255 475535 or 07767 436732.