Chris HillPolice are preparing extra patrols to stamp out 'lewd behaviour' on a nudist beach in north Norfolk.The expansive sands of Holkham Beach attract thousands of holidaymakers and walkers every year, but one secluded area has become a traditional favourite with naturists.Chris Hill

Police are preparing extra patrols to stamp out "lewd behaviour" on a nudist beach in north Norfolk.

The expansive sands of Holkham Beach attract thousands of holidaymakers and walkers every year, but one secluded area has become a traditional favourite with naturists.

The beach, about a mile's walk from the car park at Lady Anne's Drive, is listed as an "official" bathing area by British Naturism, an organisation which aims to unite and support naturists and make "social nudity" more acceptable across the UK.

But after receiving complaints from a member of the public, officers from the Wells Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) have made the issue of lewd behaviour its top priority for the next two months.

Although the police would not reveal the exact nature of the complaints, officers said they intended to prevent any further incidents which could offend other beach users.

Wells PCSO Rebecca Taylor said: "We had complaints from the public about specific individuals who have been displaying themselves in an inappropriate manner.

"You get a lot of young families down there on the beach. These people are not just using the beach as naturists, they are exploiting it. Natural England patrols the beach but their powers are limited.

"The idea is to work more closely with Holkham Estate to come up with some ideas of how to tackle the problem. It may mean we need to step up patrols and show a presence without intruding on the people who are using the beach properly. We need to make people aware that

this sort of behaviour is unacceptable."

The beach is owned by Holkham Estate, but is part of the National Nature Reserve managed by Natural England.

A Natural England spokesman said: "We have a warden who patrols the beach and the police make regular patrols there too. The area is signposted so people know what to expect, but we do aim to discourage any inappropriate behaviour."

The issue was discussed at a priority-setting meeting of the Safer Neighbourhood Action Panel last week.

The other two priorities agreed for the coming months were to address parking concerns on The Quay, Freeman Street and Station Road

in Wells, and to give a high-visibility presence in Walsingham.