A beautiful seaside town in the UK which was once the safest in the country is now witnessing a rise in crime, according to local residents.
Boscastle on the North Cornwall coast boasts gorgeous views and an unspoiled harbour that dates back to medieval times and is maintained by the National Trust.
The town itself is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
According to research carried out by Quickmove Properties, the village is part of the PL35 postcode area which was named as the safest place to live.
The research further suggested that the postcode, which includes Trevalga, Lesnewth, St Juliot and Beeny, had the lowest crime rate per number of residents of anywhere else in the country.
It found the PL35 postcode had a crime rate of just six crimes per 1,000 residents in 2022.
The next safest postcode in Cornwall was TR12, covering the Lizard peninsula which has a crime rate of more than triple the Boscastle area.
However, residents have a different point of view as they say it currently has big problems regarding alleged youth-related crimes, The Sun reports.
Locals say there is a rising feeling of unrest in the village following incidents of anti-social behaviour and vandalism. They claimed that rocks are being thrown at car windows, elderly people are being intimidated and the brand-new playground was smeared with lard.
Adrian Bright, 62, is the landlord of The Cobweb Inn, which has been in the same family for more than 50 years. He, his wife Tracy, 58, and their two daughters Katy, 17, and Lily, 18, all work together running the pub.
Tracy told Cornwall Live that the area has seen a rise in alleged youth crime, although the family believe not all the incidents have been reported.
She said: “It’s spates of pulling down walls, upsetting older people, breaking wing mirrors, throwing stones at cars in car parks.”
The family said a group of teenagers seem to have moved into the village and appear to be causing a number of problems in a normally peaceful village, saying it’s “scaring” and “intimidating” the older locals. Tracy added the local children, who had grown up in Boscastle, “respect the village”.
She added: “It’s been the last six months really and it is upsetting for the older people up in the village and those being targeted. It’s just not nice.”
Forrabury & Minster Parish Council confirmed the incident in a statement and said it had been reported to the police. It said: “On Sunday (August 20) a member of the public found the play area equipment vandalised. The swing, slide and climbing bars had been smeared with lard. The vandalism has been reported to the police. Fortunately, a local resident cleared the mess up late on Sunday so it should all be usable again.”
The parish council also confirmed it had been made aware of “a number” of anti-social behaviour and vandalism acts in recent weeks. It said: “The Parish Council urges you to report each incident however trivial to the police so they are aware of the issue that is currently facing the community.”
