‘Well,’ I said, thinking about my walks and how some of them had changed my perception of Wynmouth a little, ‘the beach is beautiful, but there’s always rubbish that washes up with the tide and there’s some rope and an old metal drum wedged next to one of the groynes, which seems to be a permanent fixture, so I was wondering if we could have a beach clean ahead of the party.’

It had been on the tip of my tongue to say that the beach used to be pristine, but fortunately I bit the comment back.

‘We have talked about this before,’ Hope said enthusiastically, ‘but nothing’s ever come of it. This could be the perfect opportunity to launch something regular, a monthly meet perhaps. There are specific organizations which can help with it, aren’t there?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I had a quick look on your mum’s laptop because there are certain things we would have to consider, such as public liability insurance and safeguarding issues.’

‘It’s not just rocking up with a bucket and picking stuff up then,’ Sam frowned.

‘No,’ I said, ‘not if you want to do it properly and certainly not if you want to make it a regular event in the Wynmouth calendar. Ideally, you’ll need someone prepared to commit to co-ordinating and running it.’

‘I’d be up for doing that,’ Hope said keenly. ‘I’ll make a start on it today.’

‘Are you sure?’ asked Sam. ‘It sounds like a lot of work, and what with your own venture to set up, it’s important to stay focused, Hope.’

‘But this is important too,’ she said, sounding like she really meant business and quite a lot like her mum. ‘The beach is Wynmouth’s biggest attraction, and if it’s contaminated and covered in debris, it won’t be pulling the visitors in for much longer, will it? We need to do something positive to protect it.’

‘That’s true,’ I agreed. ‘Lots of locals, including you, Sam, have told me they love the village because it isn’t like the other resorts. It isn’t fit to burst with amusement arcades and rowdy entertainment.’ A sudden vision of the Elton and Kiki duet Joe and I had treated the karaoke crowd to popped into my head. ‘So, as Hope says,’ I carried on, ‘it’s vital that you protect what Wynmouth is famous for; the beautiful beach and those rockpools. They’re your bread and butter and they need looking after.’