More Loungers, Less sand.

It seems that the strict limits applied to the number of sunloungers according to the size of the beach means nothing to people who make their living hiring them. The rules, devised to ensure comfort and safety for all on the beach, are clearly being flouted according to the allegations of a neighbours group at Benidorm's magnificent Levante beach.

They say that the signs delimiting the area where sunloungers can be stationed mysteriously disappeared over night and then mysteriously reappeared the following night. The only trouble was that the signs were 50 metres further on than before, and the concessionaire soon filled up this extra space with 170 more sunbeds.

The neighbours allege that the concessionaire carried out the act in order to increase his revenue in the order of €500 per day. Their pleas to the police fell on deaf ears, as they could give no explanation to what had happened.

20 June 2005 Stephen White.