It seemed a good idea. Many people who visit Chesil Beach take home a pebble or two as a souvenir. Over time this significantly weakens the flood defences and threatens the local habitat. So the Environment Agency offered an amnesty to anyone returning pebbles to the beach, telling them that there would be no fines or further action.
What actually happened was a nightmare.
A spokesman said, 'We’ve had lorryloads of rubble dumped on Chesil Beach. Most of the stones were not from Chesil Beach in the first place, and the brickwork, reinforced concrete, asbestos and steel girders definitely didn’t originate from here.'
The member staff who came up with the scheme has been redeployed to Chesil Beach and will stay there until he has cleared up the mess. He will also have to repay a staff suggestion scheme award of £50.