faeces

A ‘faeces fountain’ has been filmed bubbling up through the streets of a popular UK expat hotspot – with horrified locals sharing footage and confirming it ‘smells awful’

Horrified locals at a Brit holiday hotspot have shared grim footage of what seems to be human waste bubbling up through the ground during heavy rain.

Shocking images show rising sewage lifting a manhole cover and spilling onto the pavement. The pounding rain liquefied the waste, causing it to quickly flood the surrounding area, turning it a murky brown. The video, shared online on October 29, was captured on a main road in Fuengirola – a favourite spot for British tourists and expats – on Spain’s Costa del Sol.

“It smells awful,” commented a local passer-by. A spokesperson from the town hall stated: “We have a special team in place, with vehicles and staff working across the city to inspect and act where needed. The area is being monitored, and work is underway to get everything back to normal.”

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Social media users took to the comments section to poke fun at the situation with one person saying: “When you lose the battle just as you’re reaching the bathroom.” Another video, shared the same day, shows a “faecal fountain” further up the coast in Torremolinos – another British holiday hotspot. An ankle-deep torrent gushed down the road, with a column of spray rising in the centre like a water feature. Spain’s Andalusia region woke up to chaos yesterday as a violent storm battered the area with torrential rain, tornadoes, and flash floods.

Huelva and Seville provinces were hit hardest, with Huelva recording up to 160 litres of rain per square metre. It comes one month after eight people were injured in an explosion on a “tourist boat” in the Costa del Sol resort. Three of the casualties have sustained what are being described as serious injuries and have been taken to hospital. The incident occurred as the motorboat, described locally as a tourist boat, was leaving the marina in the Spanish town.

Footage from the scene showed firefighters in the marina dousing the flames with hoses from the closest point on dry land after locals on jet skis and other boats went to the aid of the stricken passengers and helped try to put out the fire. The alarm was sounded around 12.20pm on October 4 with several witnesses calling the emergency services as a black plume of smoke rose into the air which was clearly visible from nearby beaches. The cause of the explosion is not clear.

A fisherman working in the area said: “It was an open boat made of polyester, which is a very bad combination with fuel because it burns very quickly.” The boat sank as a result of the fire on board. The area where the incident happened has now been sealed off as an investigation gets underway.

Fuengirola Town Hall said in a statement: “The Rescue and Lifesaving Service, the Fire Department, and the Local Police of Fuengirola, as well as the Civil Guard, responded today to a fire on a boat sailing in the marina, near the mouth of the harbour. For reasons which are still unclear there was an explosion and the boat caught fire. Within minutes, rescue workers from the Rescue Service reached the crew and brought them to safety.

“A total of eight people were on board. All of them were injured, three of them seriously, and they were placed in the care of emergency medical responders. As a result of the explosion, the boat sank and officials from the Andalusian Ports Agency are closely monitoring the situation to assess the need for anti-spill measures.”

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A new list has been made of the “dirtiest” beaches in the UK as many Brits are heading to the coast this month during school summer holidays to enjoy the hot weather

Brits have been given a list of the dirtiest beaches in the UK where there have even been reports of human faeces found, according to new research.

With the exceptionally hot weather so far this year many people have taken advantage by heading to the coast on holiday and some have been left shocked at the state of the beaches they have visited. Experts have also told how there is a lot of litter which is lift behind after vast crowds turn up with plastics a particular problem as it is a hazard for local wildlife.

And for those wondering which is the dirtiest beach, Skegness Beach in Lincolnshire has been named as the worst offender, closely followed by Margate Main Sands and Formby Beach in Merseyside.

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The research was carried out by plastic waste specialists at BusinessWaste.co.uk have listed the most litter-strewn beaches in the UK. The experts analysed TripAdvisor reviews to determine how many mentioned litter on the beach.

One review of Skegness Beach from June 2025 warned: “Avoid the grass dunes between the car park and the beach. Not only do you have to dodge the dog waste you also have to with human waste and serviettes covered in faeces and left for you to tread in.”

Another visitor lamented: “Unfortunately, on the walk down the beach, we passed a lot of trash, dirty nappies and baby wipes strewn about the place in one area, and broken glass.”

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, with many tourists sharing positive experiences on TripAdvisor. Despite some comparing Skegness to North Korea and Syria as the worst place to visit, it continues to be a popular destination for many British families.

A review posted in May 2025 reads: “Skegness is a proper seaside resort. It has everything that you expect from a trip to the coast and a lot more besides. From the iconic Clock Tower to its many attractions.

“But for us the best part was the beach, immaculate golden sands with plenty of places to buy ice cream, fresh food and drinks (including beer and wine). Well done Skeggy! ! ! PS The Blue Fin Fish Bar serves battered fish that is phenomenal.”

Holidaymakers visiting Margate Main Sands have voiced comparable grievances, with assessments highlighting shattered glass, canine excrement, and human waste.

Whilst Formby Beach has received positive feedback generally, countless evaluations reference rubbish scattered across the shoreline. One visitor grumbled that they discovered the car park completely occupied by 10:30am and the coastline already packed with crowds and strewn with debris.

Numerous other beachgoers remarked on abandoned picnics, discarded disposable barbecues littering the sand, and even discovering drug-related items, reported the Express.

Graham Matthews, plastic waste specialist at BusinessWaste.co.uk, says: “Litter on the UK’s beaches turns our natural beauty spots into an eyesore and poses a huge environmental threat to marine life.

“Each year, as the weather heats up, we see a sharp rise in people flocking to the seaside, but sadly, many don’t clean up after themselves. It’s common to find food packaging, disposable BBQs, and even human and animal waste scattered across our shores.

“All this unsightly litter ruins the enjoyment of our beaches, but it also threatens local wildlife. Plastic is a particularly major hazard as it takes so long to break down naturally. Initially, this litter can endanger wildlife, entangle animals or be ingested. However, over time, plastic breaks down into smaller particles known as microplastics that find their way into water, sea life, and even our food chain.”

The UK’s most littered beaches

1. Skegness Beach, Lincolnshire
2. Margate Main Sands, Kent
3. Formby Beach, Merseyside
4. Blackpool Beach, Blackpool
5. Whitmore Bay Beach, Barry Island
6. Bournemouth Beach, Bournemouth
7. Scarborough Beach, Scarborough
8. Weston-super-Mare Beach, Somerset
9. Botany Bay, Kent
10. Clacton-on-Sea Beach, Essex

Visitors to Skegness in Lincolnshire have complained of some horrors lurking within the sand. Several reported rubbish issues, with one Tripadvisor reviewer condemning the beach as “dirty and run down”

Skegness Beach has been condemned as the grossest beach in the country.

A day at the beach—there’s nothing like it. The feeling of sand between your toes; the roar of the waves; the cool taste of a Mr Whippy. Added to this list of familiar British sensations is something a little more unpleasant.

Visitors to Skegness in Lincolnshire have complained of some horrors lurking within the sand. Several reported rubbish issues, with one Tripadvisor reviewer condemning the beach as “dirty and run down,” and another explaining that their children were “pulling out cups, straws and items of clothing from the sand.”

More alarming still, the most recent review from June 2025 recalled: “Avoid the grass dunes between the car park and the beach. Not only do you have to dodge the dog waste, you also have to deal with human waste and serviettes covered in faeces, left for you to tread in. This is what happens when you charge 40p to use the toilets.”

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Another reviewer piled in: “Not been for a couple of years and it’s really gone downhill. Everything is overgrown with weeds and the place is filthy.” While a similarly unhappy beachgoer wrote: “Dirty water, expensive car park, bad sand, not good for swimming and very dangerous. It’s overall bad—nothing good about it.”

As harsh as this criticism is, many others completely disagree. Overall, Skegness has a positive 4.3 out of 5 stars on Tripadvisor, with the overwhelming majority of comments being very positive.

One enthusiastic sunseeker wrote in May: “Skegness is a proper seaside resort. It has everything you expect from a trip to the coast and a lot more besides—from the iconic Clock Tower to its many attractions. But for us, the best part was the beach: immaculate golden sands with plenty of places to buy ice cream, fresh food and drinks (including beer and wine). Well done Skeggy!!!”

The ranking of the UK’s dirtiest beaches was compiled by BusinessWaste.co.uk.

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In second place is Margate Main Sands. Out of 851 reviews, 50 mentioned litter, giving it a percentage of 4.4%. The beach ranks as number 5 of the 75 things to do in Margate, yet many people speak of rubbish issues. Reviewers describe incidents of broken glass, dog poo, and human urine. Others talk about the nostalgia of visiting as children, but many report disappointment on returning.

Formby Beach in Merseyside lands in third place, with 3.83% of reviews mentioning litter (39 out of 731 reviews). The North West beach is well-reviewed overall with a score of 4.2, but many still report litter issues. One reviewer from May 2025 found the car park full by 10:30 a.m. and the beach already crowded and covered in rubbish. Many posts speak of picnics left behind, disposable BBQs strewn across the beach, and even drug paraphernalia.