Dogging activity has plagued a local beauty spot in Skegness.
Idlyllic countryside plagued by dogging activity Reuters

Outdoor sexual activity at a beauty spot near Skegness, Lincolnshire, is becoming so prevalent that locals are afraid to venture out.

Dave Miller, a coastal ranger for the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, says he is put off from taking children to the nature reserve by sightings of people engaged in outdoor sexual activity.

He says that there has been a problem here for years, usually at night-time but also during the day.

"People do bump into people doing unsavoury things," Miller told BBC News.

"It's a fantastic area and I would like to use it more for education purposes and recreation, but at the moment you would be scared to do that because of the issues there.

"There are people around leaving not very nice litter. It's not nice when a young child sees any of this stuff."

Seacroft Marsh is designated as a National Nature Reserve and is a popular destination for families

The ranger is asking people to report outdoor sexual activities to the trust so he can compile a report of incidents to give to the police.

In the UK, dogging comes under laws related to voyeurism, exhibitionism or public displays of sexual behaviour. However, the laws on dogging are ambiguous.

Prosecution is possible for a number of offences such as indecent exposure or for the offence of outraging public decency.

Police in Humberside have also been monitoring the area along the A165 near Coniston in the Lake District after complaints about so-called dogging.

They have questioned 18 people in one month over their reasons for visiting the location. Some were found half-dressed, but claimed to be there for "legitimate reasons".

In a statement, the force said: "We have listened to the community regarding their concerns as we have received a number of complaints from members of the public who have attended in these areas for legitimate reasons and have found people in varying states of undress engaging in various sexual activities.

"The make-up of the sites and the state of the hedges, shrubbery and trees also make the area ideal for these types of activities to take place."