Furious locals have formed a ‘vigilante’ army to take on rampant crime spreading across a once picturesque seaside town.

For decades a symbol of the glorious British south coast, Bournemouth has become overrun by feral yobs, sex predators and murders.

Those who have been visiting for years speak of a slow deterioration, but highlight a series of recent events that have made them feel more uneasy than ever.

When temperatures reached the mid-30s last month, fights erupted in broad daylight, and just days later, a young woman was raped in a beachside public restroom, resulting in the arrest of a man who is now out on bail.

Many locals have had enough, with over 200 volunteers—including security experts, first aiders, and concerned residents—joining the Safeguard Force to address the tourist area’s slide into disorder.

Created by local entrepreneur Gary Bartlett, the group aims to ‘protect the most vulnerable in our town—particularly women, children, and the elderly’.

They have already raised more than £3,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to buy body cameras, stab vests and radios.

He said: ‘We’re here to support our community and work alongside the police to make Dorset a safer place for everyone.

‘Our volunteers are driven by a shared goal to protect and reassure, and we’re excited about the impact our app and transport initiatives will have. 

‘Our volunteers have no more legal powers than any member of the public. We are not a vigilante group and we do not engage in any unlawful activity.

‘Our role is to be extra eyes and ears in the community, deter anti-social behaviour, and report issues to the police or relevant authorities.’

Mr Bartlett declined to explain if volunteers would physically intervene if they saw criminal acts.

Safeguard Force has vowed to work alongside Dorset Police to make the streets safer.

But they have yet to be endorsed by the force and anti-racism campaigners claim they will target asylum seekers staying in the town’s three migrant hotels.

The groups says it will require all volunteers to undergo DBS checks and first aid training, claiming the group will be ‘non-political and inclusive’.

In addition to patrols, the group is developing a mobile ‘Safeguard App’, an SOS-style tool to allow people to quickly request help if they feel vulnerable in public.

Volunteers will wear a black uniform with a ‘Safeguard Force’ badge on the front and Safeguard Force written in white, block capitals on the back.

They will carry out their first patrols on Monday focussing on Bournemouth, Boscombe, the beaches, gardens and surrounding areas.

Dorset Police confirmed it is aware of the group and has begun discussions with its organisers while assessing ‘any risks and opportunities’ they can bring.

Superintendent Pete Browning said: ‘While the group hadn’t engaged with us before launching, we have since reached out to them and had discussions about their plans, policies and process.

‘As a result, we have asked to have further discussions with them in relation to their operating model, including reassurances around vetting processes, equipment carried, training provided and safeguarding policies.

‘As a partnership, together with our local authority colleagues and others, we are continuing to assess the information, risks and opportunities community groups can bring.

‘Therefore we are not in a position to support or endorse the group or their activities at this time. We will continue to engage with the organiser to ensure that they operate within the law.’

Pro-immigration group Stand Up To Racism expressed concerns the group would target asylum seekers and ‘risks fostering division and fear’.

A spokesperson for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council Stand Up To Racism said: ‘This is a vigilante group which seems to be targeting refugees and Muslim communities who they suggest are a threat to women and children.

‘The presence of uniformed civilians acting on ideological motives risks fostering division and fear, rather than safety.’

When Daily Mail visited Bournemouth Beach last month, its ills soon became apparent – and they tie in neatly with those that plague much of modern Britain.

Stop to look at flytipping eyesores too long and your nostrils are filled with the invasive stench of cannabis, your ears the thumping boom of Bluetooth speakers.

Loiter any further and you’re bound to get bashed by a speeding bike, defiantly burning rubber over the promenade’s sad ‘No Cycling’ signs.

Sitting in his deck chair not far from the epicentre of the cannabis cloud, Mike Lucas, 76, regretted that visiting his beach hut is not as relaxing as it used to be.

‘We get high off the weed here sometimes just from the smell,’ he said. ‘There’s a lack of respect. I used to be a teacher, I wouldn’t want to be anymore.

‘Music is a real issue here as well, what with all these ghettoblasters and things.’

The need for a ‘vigilante’ group to help tackle the chaos is perhaps understandable, given many locals’ lack of faith in the police.

Paul, sitting on a bench with his granddaughter Emma, said: ‘We’re actually thinking of moving which is a shame. It’s all a sign of the times.

‘We’ve had people fighting here and even a stabbing. We need more of a police presence.’

Terry Keenan added: ‘The police are useless, they’re never here,’ he said. ‘Kids come here for a big night, they come with the gas and balloons.

‘On these nights, it gets on the verge of being a nuisance.

‘We’re down here all day and there’s not one policeman, yet there’s thousands of people here. It gets out of control. 

‘We saw the police there one weekend, but why not have them here all the time? A police car would put people off.’

His wife Debbie agreed and said that antisocial behaviour was often rampant and suggested it might be down to ‘too much cannabis’.

Terry, meanwhile, said: ‘There are lots of down and outs and a cannabis smell in the air.

‘There are also lots of problems with alcohol. These problems were not here before.

‘So many of the shops have been closed up and there is a real lack of police.’

Mike spends much of his day politely reminding speeding cyclists that bikes are banned from the path at this time of year – and is often greeted by a foul-mouthed response.

Right on cue, a marauding peddler raced past before reacting badly to the local’s complaints.

He unleashed a colourful volley of x-rated insults and pointed an angry finger at a reclining Mike, who gave the impression of someone who sees this kind of thing every day – presumably because he does.

Violence is becoming an increasingly common event on Bournemouth Beach as soaring temperatures prompt flared tempers.

Last month, police released CCTV imagery of 12 males they would like to identify following a beach brawl between shirtless youths last week which saw five officers injured.

Footage posted online showed yobs fighting among themselves and clashing with officers, with some seen hurling objects and attacking them with bottles.

Missiles appeared to be thrown at police and glass could be heard smashing on the ground as terrified day-trippers watched on in horror.

Five police officers were injured during the chaos, as well as a teenage girl who was taken to hospital for treatment. Their injuries were not serious.

‘People are always telling you to ‘eff off’ while they’re cycling along,’ Mike said once his bad-tempered rival had disappeared. ‘They don’t listen.

‘A couple of weeks ago, some teens were using the back of the huts as a toilet. They were told to stop but one was clearly trying to impress the others and physically attacked an older gentleman and punched him.

‘The police issued a case number but said they couldn’t send anyone down.

‘Music is a real issue here as well, what with all these ghettoblasters and things.’

As one of the largest resorts in the south of England, Bournemouth has long attracted legions of youngsters from the inner cities looking for a glimpse at the bright blue sea.

Visiting kids and lifelong residents have generally co-existed quite pleasantly, but it seems there has been a noticeable shift in recent years.

Shocking pictures show teens apparently taking hippy crack, or nitrous oxide balloons, in plain sight while playing loud music and even getting in confrontations with locals.

Terry told Daily Mail he has seen such incidents come close to spiralling out of control in recent months and blamed the police for lacking a beach side presence.

Lourde, a local who has spent many decades seeing the beach evolve – or devolve – since she first arrived aged 17, reflected wistfully on a bygone era, where Bournemouth was trendy and safe.

‘All the men used to come here in smart suits and the ladies wore business suits,’ Lourde said. ‘It was a certain status thing to walk along this beach side.

‘It’s really busy now. Unfortunately the town itself has also gone downhill. The whole atmosphere is completely rundown. It used to be stylish.

‘It all changed when the students stopped coming. They brought money in and went to bars and cafes and needed entertainment.’

Keeping a safe distance sitting in the square a couple of hundred yards behind the beach, she added: ‘I wouldn’t want to go down here at nighttime. It’s very sad, only six years ago I would have been fine.

‘There’s an undercurrent – I can’t quite say what it is.’

The previously pleasant seaside town has become a regular stage for tensions between locals and asylum seekers with one filmed giving the finger to protesters outside a migrant hotel before being ushered away by police on Monday.

The young man was headed towards the The Chine Hotel in Boscombe, Bournemouth, which was surrounded by a group of 40 anti-migrant protesters. 

As he approached the building with an officer, one protester asked the man out loud, ‘where are you from mate?’

The migrant then flicked a cigarette towards the group before shouting back at them.

The policeman ushered him towards the entrance while the crowd jeered and another protester asked him, ‘were you running from a war?’

This stopped the migrant in his tracks and he turned to give the crowd the middle finger.

More cat-calls and chants could be heard from protesters, before the man entered the hotel.

Most of the 88 rooms at The Chine have views of the sea or the landscaped gardens.

The hotel also has an indoor swimming pool and spa facilities, as well as a £200 a night honeymoon suite.

It is now one of three hotels in Bournemouth that has been closed to the public for the exclusive use of asylum seekers.

The anti-immigration protesters arrived en-masse there last Friday evening to protest against its use to house migrants.

They waved Union Jack flags and played patriotic songs including ‘Three Lions’ and ‘Rule Britannia’ on a loudspeaker.

A 40-person counter-protest organised by Stand Up To Racism then showed up with placards stating ‘Refugees Welcome, Stop The Far Right’.

Dozens of police officers formed a barrier between the two groups in a bid to keep the peace.

One anti-immigration protester squared up to a police officer as tensions flared but no arrests were made during the three hour protest.