'The worst of human nature': UK staycationers' trail of destruction

Countryside and coastal custodians lament different demographic' of visitors leaving litter and endangering wildlife

Fires caused by portable barbecues, wild flowers being dug up, the disturbance of shorebirds, and an avalanche of rubbish. These are just some of the threats to Britain's wild places as record numbers enjoy coastal and countryside staycations".

Beleaguered rangers complain that a new generation of holidaymakers are treating the countryside like a festival site, leaving behind tents, chairs and excrement, as well as endangering rare habitats and wildlife.