Seagull feeders and wannabe influencers on list of things Brits find annoying about the beach

Ciaran McCrickard/PA

While reclining on golden sands and looking out at waves gently licking the shore is usually relaxing, there are a few things that can quickly spoil a day at the beach.

These include people feeding seagulls, drones flying overhead, couples arguing and fame-seekers repeatedly posing for snaps to show off on social media.

The overwhelming mjaority of people (94 per cent) have had a beach day interrupted by annoying behaviour in the past, according to a survey by easyJet Holidays.

People playing loud music, stag weekends and seagull finders annoy Brits on the beach (Ciaran McCrickard/PA)

When the weather warms up and there’s a fight for space on a beach, there’s no guarantee how the people sitting close to you will behave.

One in four people (26 per cent) have left a beach day early due to the poor etiquette of those closest to them on the sand.

This includes activities that make a lot of noise or indulging in behaviour that distracts your eyes away from the natural beauty of the beach, such as doing public displays of attention, wearing overly revealing swimwear or dancing or doing headstands for photoshoots.

But when asked to list the things that annoyed them most at the beach in the survey, the top of most people’s list was noisy children, followed closely by litterbugs, with people playing music on portable speakers in third. So, if you want to be kinder to your neighbours on the beach this summer and allow them to relax, you might want to consider swapping that speaker for your headphones.

Beware the beachgoer with a portable speaker (Ciaran McCrickard/PA)

Those headphones will also come in useful for any phone calls you decide to make while on the beach. People making loud phone calls is number seven on the list of beach behaviour that Brits find most annoying.

People feeding seagulls also made the top 10, with the sqwalking of birds and fighting for food spoiling the peace for everyone on the beach.

The survey also showed that Brits prefer to put up with bad behaviour and hope it will pass before complaining. Nearly half of those surveyed (45 per cent) said they wouldn’t confront the bothersome individual

When it comes to social media, 45 per cent of Brits believe social media has ruined the beach environment, and over half (55 per cent) find overhead drones used to capture photographs and video of a beach day are an invasion of privacy.

Brits also have a low tolerance for people who get up early to bag a sun lounger. Nearly half (46 per cent) believe that an unoccupied lounger with a towel on it can reclaimed after just one hour, and 12 per cent think it can be taken in less than 30 minutes.

The nation’s top 20 beach annoyances

1. Noisy kids
2. Litterbugs
3. People playing loud music from portable speakers
4. Unruly dogs
5. Raucous stag or hen parties
6. Being hit by a stray football or frisbee
7. People making loud phone calls
8. People feeding seagulls
9. People shaking sand off their towels
10. Sun lounger reservers
11. Couples arguing
12. Smoky barbecues
13. People setting up large tents or gazebos, ruining the view
14. Drones (noise/privacy issues)
15. Social media poseurs (e.g. fussy photoshoots, TikTok dancing)
16. Gratuitous public displays of affection
17. Over-revealing swimwear
18. People digging large holes and not filling them when they leave
19. Strumming guitarists who can’t hold a tune
20. People recklessly spraying sun oil, coating everyone around them

Read more: The best UK beach holidays for summer