Deadly nail traps left on access road to beautiful Welsh beach

Terrified residents are calling for police intervention after hundreds of large nails were discovered strewn across a beach access road. In addition to the nails, steel screws and even small saw blades were found positioned on a footpath leading to an Anglesey beach – a route often used by vehicles.

Locals have dubbed this week’s incident a “disgusting act of vandalism”, saying it poses a threat not only to motorists but also to horse riders and other road users. It is the latest in a string of similar attacks over the past two years.

The metal wreckage was discovered on a narrow strip of land leading to Traeth Penial beach. This quiet, secluded stretch of rock and sand offers no amenities and is tucked away in the north of Anglesey. Boasting views across Beddmanarch Bay to Holyhead, it tends to be frequented by locals rather than tourists who usually opt for nearby Porth Tywyn Mawr (sandy beach).

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Dog walkers Hannah Groom and her partner Tomi Jones, from the nearby village of Llanfachraeth, stumbled upon the spike trap on Thursday evening (July 12). Calf farmer Hannah, 23, shared that “A lot of the spikes were placed in an area where people park near the beach,” adding that “There’s only room for one car there,” reports North Wales Live.

Hannah continued: “More nails were lying along the track. The way they were placed, in potholes and tyre tracks, it was clear it was done deliberately. It wasn’t an accident. There were hundreds of nails lying around. We picked up as many as we could carry home in our pockets. But there were still hundreds on the road.”

Hannah posted on social media to warn all horse riders, coastguards and maritime officers who might be using the beach. One lady who commented on the post exclaimed: “This is scary.”

After Hannah posted, people offered to clean up. One even said she would bring metal detectors and powerful fishing magnets.

Others described similar incidents, saying it had happened “on several occasions”. One man from Holyhead added: “Cleaned 1,000 nails out of there over the years.”

Among the scattered debris were masonry nails extending as far as four inches (10 cm), accompanied by roofing nails and nuts and bolts. Although some were covered in rust, it was clear that many were brand new.

Traeth Penal can suffer from high tides, which results in limited access for cars, so residents opt for a single parking space on the access track.

North Wales Police have been contacted for a response to these allegations.