Benidorm police issue urgent warning over little-known beach rule

Police in the much-loved Spanish resort of Benidorm have issued an "SOS" to holidaymakers encouraging them to respect the blue lines in an attempt to increase safety at its beaches.

The Mirror reports that in overseas newspaper Sur, a Spanish newspaper in English, local police have warned those on holiday to respect 'thin blue lines' on the sand. The blue ropes are joined to wooden poles and create a division between different groups of people who visit the beach.

The roped off areas form walkways that are intended to allow emergency workers to gain easy access to the beach without their path being blocked, which means anyone who has been injured or needs help or attention can be quickly and safely evacuated.

READ MORE:Spanish locals angry as tourists warned of 'six limit rule' amid common behaviour

READ MORE:Man refuses to swap plane seat for disabled couple - but people agree with him

Benidorm Police Force say: "Respect these blue lines. They are transit and evacuation corridors. Enjoy the beach safely." They also shared a Facebook video about the rules, which locals commented on.

One person complained: "In the area of Tumbona de Pago, every day the number of people who place themselves on their towels and obstruct the safe passageway) area increases." Another called on people to be "prosecuted and sanctioned" for getting it wrong.

However, Benidorm Police Force have confirmed they don't intend to levy fines at this point, they just want people to be more aware of the rules.

This isn't the only time the holiday hotspot has been in the news lately for an unusual reason.

Benidorm embraced its "strangest tradition" last weekend, with residents and holidaymakers getting the dubious honour of waiting to observe a donkey defecating - an event that happens every year.

The event known as 'Caga de la Burra' - 'Poo from the Donkey' - took place on Sunday, September 15 in various areas in Spain's Alicante region.

Local YouTuber 'Benidorm by Ana' went into more detail about the bizarre pastime on her channel, labelling it "one of the strangest [traditions] in the entire world".

She explained how people taking part form a ring around a donkey, which is free to roam around the space provided. The circle is broken down into smaller, numbered sections and people bet on which section the donkey will go to the toilet on.

It's €10 (£8.43) to place a bet, and the person who wins gets a whopping €1,000 (£843). In cases where the donkey's dung is spread across multiple squares, the largest share of droppings determines the victor.

Travel certainly broadens the horizons, that's for sure!

Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.