Fury in Italy as anyone born between 1961 and 2016 banned from taking 1 item to beach

People born between 1961 and 2016 have been banned from taking umbrellas onto a beach in Sardinia. Only those aged over 65 and families with children under the age of 10, are allowed to pitch an umbrella on Punta Molentis beach in Villasimìus, along the Italian island’s south-east coast.

The step is part of a number of measures introduced by local authorities aimed at protecting the beach’s environment, according to reports. The move has been met with both disappointment and ridicule by some beachgoers online. Commenting on a post by Villasimìus’ council announcing the guidelines, one person wrote: “To put up an umbrella I have to rent a child??”

Another, according to The Guardian, joked: “So to come to the beach with an umbrella I either bring my grandad or need to have a child between now and tomorrow?”

Concerns have also been raised over risks of skin cancer or heatstroke, the newspaper reported.

Some beachgoers have suggested boycotting Punta Molentis, while others say they will go elsewhere.

The public beach has been shut since July last year following a wildfire, which was reportedly started by arsonists.

The local council said the fire, and “exceptional marine weather events”, are the reason for the more stringent rules — in force at the beach throughout the summer until the end of October — which also include the banning of gazebos and tents.

“For this reason it’s necessary to limit the [human] impact and ensure the protection of this heritage for future generations,” the council said ahead of the beach’s reopening.

There is also a €10 (around £8.60) fee to enter Punta Molentis, which lies within a conservation area.

Sardinia is a popular destination for UK holidaymakers, with 474,000 Britons visiting the Mediterranean island in 2023.

The island, west of mainland Italy, is famous for its beaches and clear waters and is the second-largest in the Mediterranean.