Tourist fined for beach hogging

A tourist in the Costa Blanca has been fined €150 after using his beach umbrella to save him some space on El Cura beach in Torrevieja.

The use of parasols, deck chairs or towels to reserve places is outlawed between the hours of 3 – 8am. Local authorities said that the fine was brought in to prevent the disruption to the local beaches, and their overnight clean up operations.

The defendant said that they had been swimming on the beach, and had never left the beach. However his defence was overturned in a hearing last week.