SOMERSET Council has decided dogs will be banned from part of a popular beach in the county this summer.

At an Executive meeting which took place on Wednesday, May 8, councillors approved a proposal to re-implement a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for dog fouling at Minehead beach.

However, unlike the previous PSPO which expired in 2019, dogs will only be banned from part of the beach, which runs from Minehead Golf Club Groyne to the Jubilee café, between May and September.

The harbour area will remain free for people to walk their dogs.

The decision comes in response to a consultation launched by Somerset Council last year, which asked locals whether the orders that expired in 2019 should be reinstated for three more years.

The consultation found that 57 per cent of respondents said that they would visit the beach a lot less often or a bit less often if no dog restrictions were in place, with only 32 per cent stating they would visit more often.

66 per cent of responders to the consultation said they would be favour of keeping the previous restrictions of a complete ban of dogs from the beach.

60 per cent said they'd prefer the ban to be in effect only between Minehead Golf Club Groyne to the Jubilee café.