sand

HOLIDAYMAKERS are being warned not to do one common activity at the beach.

Beach days are always fun, especially in the summer with the family – but the public are being warned to never dig a large hole in the sand in one part of the UK.

This is because a large hole can collapse in on itself and could pose the risk of trapping someone, including kids and pets.

The fresh warning comes from the coastguard at Cleethorpes, a popular seaside town destination with a four-mile beach, traditional pier and family-friendly activities, making it the ideal day out.

According to the BBC, Cleethorpes Coastguard deputy station manager Shaun Lee said: “It’s like an avalanche effect, where the sand just keeps collapsing and collapsing, and then people just get completely buried in it.

He explained that when a hole is dug with steep sides, the wet sand will dry out and make it looser and as a result, more prone to collapsing.

Read more on travel inspo

GO ON

All the little-known websites for cheap or FREE tickets to gigs, theatre & festivals

HOL YES

I’m a travel editor & mum-of-3… my favourite family holidays from just £3pp a night

He added: “We don’t want to be the fun police – just be aware of what you are doing if you are digging holes.”

Also in Lincolnshire, last year coastguards filled a hole in Sandilands Beach that was nearly two metres deep.

At the time, the coastguards said they filled the hole “for safety reasons”.

Last June, the coastguard filled a hole on Weymouth Beach as well, which was around 1.5metres deep.

It took the coastguard three people and 30 minutes to fill.

Senior Coastal Operations Officer Allan Norman, at HM Coastguard, said: “Buckets and spades are a lot of fun – but most of us wouldn’t dream of digging a 5ft deep hole at a park where youngsters are running about and people walk in the evening.

“It’s the same at busy beaches: deep holes can be hard to spot in the sand and pose the risk of someone falling in and being injured, particularly little children and older people.

“There’s also the danger of the sand collapsing on top of you, causing injury and suffocation.

“These incidents require whole teams of rescuers.

“We’d just ask people to stay aware of who else is on the beach and the potential risks of digging too deep.”

Even though beachgoers are warned against creating large holes at the beach, it doesn’t mean you can’t dig them at all.

Allan advises to just not dig it deeper than waist height and to avoid digging tunnels, which are even more likely to collapse.

He added that you should fill the hole in before you leave the beach.

If you do happen to be caught in a situation where you get stuck in a large hole on the beach, GOV.UK recommends creating a circle of people around the hole, who dig with their hands to create an outer circle.

Then create another circle of people behind that circle, but they will be removing the sand dug from the first circle.

By creating multiple circles, it will make the original hole bigger and more shallow and as a result, it will be less likely to collapse.

In other beach news, here are our 26 must-visit UK beaches for 2026 – including tropical-feel spots and family-friendly finds.

Plus, here’s the UK’s warmest beach that’s also home to two of the ‘most idyllic holiday homes’ and you can stay from just £30pp a night.

PUSSYCAT Doll Ashley Roberts has an eye on the Maldives after her time in the South African bush.

The singer, 44, is on a luxury break on the paradise islands and posted snaps in a tropical pink bikini, as well as relaxing on the sand and cooling down after a shower.

It comes ahead of a big week on I’m A Celebrity’s all-stars series, which she filmed at the end of last year.

Hosts Ant and Dec have hinted contestant Ashley takes centre stage in tonight’s drama.

She seemed to win a solitary biscuit after her triumph in Friday’s Balance of Power trial.

But Ant said: “That’s not the end of it!”

JACK OF HEARTS

Jack Whitehall kicks off £250k wedding by rowing boat across lake to bride

FARM ROW

Jodie Marsh pleads not guilty to assault after she ‘put hands on neighbour’s neck’

Dec added: “That’s not all she has won.”

Over the years I’m A Celebrity South Africa star Ashley Roberts has made a number of wild sex confessions.

From a steamy dream about romping with Harry Styles, to revealing her turn-ons in the I’m A Celeb Jungle, the Pussycat Dolls star, 44, is known for not holding back.

It’s fair to say Ashley has made a career out of being sexy.

The star oozes sex appeal, thanks to being in the sizzling girlband the Pussycat Dolls.

Since her rise to fame in the early noughties, Ashley, who thrilled fans when she was first to strip off for the I’m A Celebrity South Africa shower, has revealed some sexy details about her life.

The singer and dancer has made a number of racy confessions that would make anybody listening blush.

SUNDAY may be a day of rest in Europe, but that’s not the case for Puerto Rico. 

The shops were shut, but the city of Ponce was very much awake.  

As I wandered the streets, locals cruised past in their vintage cars, music blasted from lively bars and groups of youngsters burst into spontaneous dance on the streets. 

In the main square, families strolled past colourful murals and beautiful yet crumbling Art Deco buildings, while old men put the world to rights over a leisurely game of dominoes in the main square. 

Ponce (pronounced Pon-say) was the last stop on my Tropical Isles cruise onboard the recently refurbished Marella Discovery. 

It’s a new port for Marella so, like ­Christopher Columbus — who discovered the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico back in 1493 — I was excited to be one of the first people to explore. 

BEST BAR NONE

Enjoy the full F1 Grand Prix plus cruise experience for under £2,000

TAKE THE MEDS

Spanish GP and cruise to Ibiza on 11-night adventure from just £2,149pp

Week-long sailings start and finish in La Romana, in the Dominican Republic, calling at the nearby nature reserve of Isla Catalina, the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan and the US Virgin Islands of St Thomas and St Croix. 

Now I’ve been lucky enough to visit the Caribbean a few times before, but I was still surprised by how green these islands were.  

And while this itinerary gave me plenty of opportunity to sunbathe on white-sand beaches and sample local rum (I recommend Ron del Barrilito), I was still able to go hiking in the rainforest and kayak through beautiful coves. 

Staying active is something I would definitely recommend on a Marella cruise — not just because you’ll miss out on amazing experiences if you don’t, but because you’ll need to burn off all the extra calories you’re bound to consume on board. 

With nine restaurants and seven bars spread over 11 decks, you certainly won’t go hungry or thirsty — especially as Marella cruises are all-inclusive as standard.  

This means your flights, cabin, transfers to and from the ship, drinks, food and entertainment are all included in the price. 

Even your bags go straight from your home airport to your cabin door so you don’t have to worry about collecting them from a carousel or lugging them around. 

Compared to other cruise ships, Marella Discovery is quite small, accommodating up to 1,800 passengers.  

It’s really set up for British tourists, though, with Yorkshire Tea on tap and dishes such as steak and ale pie readily available in the excellent Islands buffet. 

Entertainment-wise, passengers can find their way out of an escape room, play a round of mini-golf or enjoy a musical afternoon tea. Plus there are West End-style shows, quizzes and gameshows galore. 

For better-quality booze and speciality ­coffees, you can upgrade to a Premium All Inclusive package, while speciality restaurants, including the Surf & Turf Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, come at an extra charge. 

But be sure to leave room for some traditional Caribbean delicacies when you leave the ship. At Café Manolin, in San Juan, I joined locals queuing to tuck into giant plates of mofongo, a much-loved Puerto Rican dish of fried green plantain stuffed with meat or veggies. 

Coffee is also big business here — and almost as popular as rapper Bad Bunny, who hails from the island.  

Many coffee plantations welcome visitors to sample their wares but I got my caffeine fix at Hacienda Jacana, in the mountainous region of Adjuntas, where owner Jonathan and his ex-cop father proudly showed off their farm while explaining details of the coffee-making process. 

I was buzzing after a few cups of their delicious Latitude 18° coffee — but it couldn’t possibly compare to the buzz I got in St Thomas after snorkelling with a group of green turtles in the crystal-clear water of Magens Bay. 

Granted, I had to keep reminding myself that I wouldn’t die if I tried to breathe ­normally underwater, but I forgot all about breathing when a metre-long turtle paddled right past my face. Just wow. 

As an animal lover, and a keen traveller missing my two dogs back home, I was also thrilled to stumble across the Ruff Night — Hair Of The Dog Bar in St Croix (pronounced Croy), just steps from where Marella Discovery docked in Frederiksted.

The lively bar, in the courtyard of the Victoria House Inn, is run by volunteers from the Ruff Start STX animal charity who love nothing more than mixing super-strong cocktails and bringing in puppies for punters to cuddle.  

And if that’s not reason enough to visit, all money raised from the bar goes directly to local dogs in need, so go armed with plenty of cash in your pocket! 

I’d certainly worked up a thirst after a morning kayaking in the nearby Salt River Bay, and I enjoyed getting back to nature there almost as much as I did at El Yunque National Forest — the jewel in the crown of Puerto Rico. 

The 28,000-acre site is the only tropical rainforest in the US and it has more than 100 miles of walking trails just waiting to be explored. With enormous trees providing canopies of greenery and exotic birds and frogs creating a cacophony of noise, it was just how I imagined a rainforest to be. 

While mosquitoes are rife here after dark, I managed to avoid being savaged by the pesky wee beasties during the daytime. 

One thing was for sure, though — I had definitely been bitten by the Caribbean cruise bug.

I’m looking for something that’s open early on the weekends (9 a.m.?) where we can take our 2-year-old daughter. We don’t want it to be an indoor play place or something that is solely designed for kids. Ideally, it would be something that adults enjoy too. Maybe something outdoors or with a restaurant/cafe where we can give ourselves a little treat. We are in Manhattan Beach and have to be back home by 12:30 p.m. for nap time. We’ve been able to make drives to Pasadena and Orange County and make it back in time (bonus of leaving on a Saturday or Sunday because there’s no traffic!) — Brittany Newell

Here’s what we suggest:

Finding places that will keep both you and your toddler entertained can be tricky. But don’t fret, Brittany! I’ve enlisted the help of some of my colleagues who are also parents that understand the need to flee the house before nap time. I’ve compiled a list of fun mini adventures that you can start early-ish.

For an activity close to home, Michelle Woo, The Times’ West Coast experiences editor, suggests renting a toddler bike trailer or bike seat from one of the local shops and taking a ride along the Strand from Manhattan to Redondo and back to Hermosa for a stop at Good Stuff, a beachside restaurant where you can enjoy a refreshing smoothie, mimosa or Woo’s go-to order, “the Good Stuff Breakfast with a pork sausage patty — simple yet comforting.” Then let your daughter play in the sand for a while. And if you haven’t been to the Roundhouse Aquarium before, it’s definitely worth a visit. The free, donation-based marine educational center is home to swell sharks, sea urchins, jellyfish and more that will leave visitors of any age in awe.

About 12 miles up the coast in Venice Beach is the newly renovated Windward Plaza Playground, a nautical-themed fun zone equipped with slides, swings, climbers and more. The best part is that it’s located on the sand at the beach just steps away from the famous boardwalk. Before you get to the park, my colleague Amy King suggests stopping by Breakaway Cafe for yummy breakfast burritos or Menotti’s for coffee.

For an early morning adventure, Times entertainment and features editor Brittany Levine Beckman recommends visiting the Riverside bike path in Frogtown, which opens at 6 a.m., so you can start as early as you’d like. She and her husband usually take turns pushing their 18-month-old daughter in a tricycle along the pathway and get their steps in. Afterward, she suggests going to Lingua Franca, a restaurant situated along the river. “We’ve arrived a few times as soon as the restaurant opens at 10 a.m. on the weekend and been the only early-bird brunchers,” she tells me. “We grab a table outside in the back and our daughter meanders without us feeling annoying.” The restaurant also serves a toddler-approved Dutch baby and a parent-approved bloody Mary, she adds. If you prefer to just grab a coffee, go to Tadaa.Coffee, which has a sand pit that your daughter can play in.

Another fun option is the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park, where you can wander through the awe-inspiring Dinosaur Hall, learn about the evolution of mammals, roam through the enchanting nature gardens and admire more than 2,000 gems and minerals from across the globe. The museum opens at 9:30 a.m., but there’s still plenty of time to explore before nap time. Levine Beckman also enjoys taking her daughter to the museum. “Our toddler loves the animal dioramas,” she tells me. “She likes staring up at the dinosaur bones too (and can say “roar” now), but the big stuffed animals are her favorite.” For food, my colleague Sophia Kercher recommends South LA Cafe, which is located at the museum.

Now for some rapid-fire ideas: Kercher suggests the Stoneview Nature Center, which is a plant-filled city sanctuary nestled in Culver City’s Blair Hills. Here you can chase hummingbirds, roam through the never-crowded garden and “visit Stoneview’s resident quails, which have their own fenced-in compound called, ‘Quallywood,’” she says. Times contributor Rachel Kraus, who recently wrote about the rise of mall parks in Southern California (and why parents are loving them), suggests the Proud Bird near LAX, which she calls “a one stop shop parent and kid utopia.” She adds, “You can order food and drinks (including from a full bar) and let your kids run around on the outdoor play structure, kick a ball on the turf or explore the vintage airplanes.” Also, be sure to check out our list of L.A. playgrounds that are close to coffee shops where you can get a jolt of energy if needed.

I hope these suggestions are helpful with planning your next morning adventure with your toddler and that you are able to create some fun new memories together. Happy exploring!

WHEN you think of heading on a beach holiday, Sopot is probably not a destination that springs to mind.

However, the coastal town on the Eastern European Riviera has white sand beaches and an enormous luxury hotel right on the promenade with rooms from £89.

Running along the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, Sopot has over 500m of coastline.

It’s most popular with holidaymakers is Sopot Beach – although visitors have said it’s not the warmest for swimming.

But in peak summer, it can be busy and popular for sunbathing and there is.

One visitor to Sopot Beach said: “A must see in Poland! Who would have known Poland had such a beautiful beach?

MAKE THE MOVE

Incredible expat ‘paradise countries’ – with rent from £350 and beers for 83p

GET IT BOOKED

The ‘cheap luxury’ beach resorts under 4 hours from UK with breaks from £75pp

“This should be well known. The whitest, softest sand.”

Another added: “The water was cold but it was amazingly sunny and kid loved the sand play and the park right beside it.”

Next to the beach is Sopot Pier which is the longest wooden pier in Europe and goes on for over 500 metres.

It has views of both the Baltic Sea and the Polish coastline, and cots just £2.10 to enter.

Along the front are cafesm restaurants and even chippies like Centrala Rybna.

The magnificently grand Sofitel Grand Sopot Hotel sits right on the promenade too.

First built in 1923, it was designed for affluent guests, but nowadays, visitors can stay there from £89 according to Kayak.

Along with 126 rooms and huge restaurant, it has a just-as-grand spa and wellness centre, along with a private beach.

When it comes to exploring the heart of Sopot, one of the liveliest streets is Monte Cassino Street, which is home to lots of shops, bars and restaurants.

There’s the Crooked House, which looks like something out of a creepy fairytale, as well as the towering Sopot Lighthouse.

While in Sopot, you can pick up a beer for 16zł (£3.33) and the average price for a meal is 45zł (£9.36).

The easiest way for Brits to get to Sopot is to fly directly to Gdansk which in March can be done for as little as £13 with Wizz Air.

The flight takes just two hours and 15 minutes from London Luton – and then it’s a 20-minute drive to Sopot.

Read more about what one travel writer saw in Gdansk and two other destinations which have cheap Ryanair flights.

Plus, the pretty city known as ‘Polish Manchester’ is near Europe’s largest indoor theme park.