Youths who threw giant ice cream cone from South Parade Pier into sea 'must be stopped' as hunt steps up

THE hunt is on for a group of youths who ‘must be stopped’ after a giant ice cream cone was launched from a pier into the sea on Saturday night.
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South Parade Pier put out the call to find the culprits on its Facebook page alongside CCTV footage of the incident which took place at 11.30pm.

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The clip shows five people walking along the pier with one lad holding the fibreglass cone from Kidz Island before throwing it over the side and running off – along with three other members of the group, while the other one continued his stroll.

The moment the youth throws the fibreglass ice cream cone into the seaThe moment the youth throws the fibreglass ice cream cone into the sea
The moment the youth throws the fibreglass ice cream cone into the sea
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The post, which has the caption ‘help wanted’ at the top, said: ‘This is footage of a lovely lot of young men who on Saturday evening thought it would be perfectly ok to walk on the pier and help themselves to one of our hard working traders’ much-loved ice-cream cones from Kidz Island.

‘As if things haven't been hard enough for small businesses in the last 18 months.

‘They carried it along the pier and threw it in the sea. We didn't manage to find it even in yesterday's low tides.

‘We have identified three of them and would be grateful for any help to identify the others.

South Parade Pier. Picture: Barry DaySouth Parade Pier. Picture: Barry Day
South Parade Pier. Picture: Barry Day
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‘This behaviour can't be tolerated and won’t be. They need to be stopped.

‘We will be taking further action unless the culprit wants to come forward to sort this out.’

Penelope Wallis, manager of Kidz Island, told The News: ‘The cones are expensive and cost between £300 and £500. If these young lads are doing this sort of thing what else are they doing?

‘People shouldn’t think they can just do that. They need to be stopped.’

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Despite the cone initially being lost, it was found by a swimmer on Sunday morning and was due to be returned.

‘A lady found it and took it home but said it had been damaged,’ Penelope said.

‘I would be more than happy if the boys give me £100 for it to be repaired and give me an apology and all will be forgotten.’

Penelope said there had been other incidents on the pier before delivering a warning. ‘A few things have gone missing but the CCTV cameras have now been updated,’ she said.

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Tommy Ware, owner of the pier, said: ‘It was just some little idiots causing trouble. People (working on the pier) are just trying to earn a living.

‘It has been hard enough recently and now this will cost them more.’

Andy Kircher, from Safevue CCTV, recently upgraded the CCTV systems at South Parade Pier.

He said: 'At the end of the day, this footage shows these people in full colour at 11pm. Please help find these youngsters, they can be clearly identified, and this is exactly why CCTV like this is critical to stopping this sort of anti-social behaviour.'

Police have not yet been approached.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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