Spanish authorities have issued an apology after an official sprayed a beach with bleach in a misguided attempt to protect children from coronavirus.
The picturesque Zahara de los Atunes, near Cadiz, used tractors to spray more than 2km of beach with a bleach solution a day before children were released from lockdown for the first time.
Environmentalists say the move caused “brutal damage” to the local ecosystem, as the beach and its dunes are protected breeding and nesting places for migratory birds.
An official with the regional government in Andalucía said it was looking into the attempted disinfection amid claims that the local officials and business association that carried it out did not have the necessary permissions.
