Anti-social behaviour along Cardiff and the Vale coastline almost halved compared to the same period last year.

Between May 1 and September 5, reported incidents of non-COVID related antisocial behaviour reduced from 597 to 315, despite the higher number of visitors.

This is the result of Operation Elstree, says South Wales Police, a multi-agency operation aimed at keeping coastal areas safe and family-friendly.

Together with British Transport Police, Welsh Ambulance Service, RNLI, South Wales Fire & Rescue, local authorities and businesses, some ways Op Elstree has kept the area safe include:

• Extra patrols on foot, horse, quad bike and in our anti-social behaviour boat.
• Section 35 notices to move people on from an area and a CCTV van
• Safety bands to reunite missing children
• Fines for illegal parking.

Chief Inspector for Vale of Glamorgan and Cardiff South, Arabella Rees, said: "Operation Elstree has meant 1,000 extra hours of police foot patrol along the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan coastline and more than a quarter of those hours were by volunteers from the Special Constabulary.

"During these patrols we have arrested nine people and confiscated drugs and alcohol which has helped prevent a repeat of the anti-social behaviour which we saw earlier in the year and last summer.

"Another highlight of Op Elstree has been reuniting 34 lost children with their parents on the beach. Losing sight of your children for a few seconds can cause really worry, so I'm glad our officers have been in the right place at the right time this summer.

"It has been one big team effort and we hope everyone who visited the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan coastline this summer had a positive experience."