A local woman on Anglesey said she confronted a group of 20 men flying kites "on the longest lines" at Traeth Lligwy beach, near Moelfre, last Wednesday. She said they were practising "cutting" and that severed kites and lengthy pieces of string were dropping into the sea, putting marine life at risk.
She said: "I asked why they let them fall into the sea and didn't collect them – they said they degraded. The thickness of the twine they were leaving in the sea was ridiculous. We saw a least 15 fall into the sea in four hours. I pointed out this was not acceptable for the wildlife on our beaches, they were laughing as I walked off. The group from Manchester and Wolverhampton said they come every month! Why do they think this is ok?"
What is kite fighting?
Kite fighting is a traditional sport, known as Patangbazi, in which participants attempt to sever opponents' strings. Some specialist fighter kites use lines coated with glass powder and adhesive to cut through rival lines. The sport is popular in many countries and is allegedly regularly practised by visiting groups on beaches across Conwy and Anglesey.
While kite fighting isn't explicitly prohibited in the UK, it can breach aviation, environmental and public safety regulations.
Further reports on Anglesey
Another woman said she had gathered substantial amounts of kite string from the beach following an earlier group visit. She described it as thin, strong and "needs a sharp blade to cut it". She added: "Incredibly dangerous to wildlife and pets. No one wants to spoil anyone's fun but there needs to be respect for the environment."
A woman reported a group near Trearddur Bay, on Anglesey's Holy Island, "from morning until night" last week. She said: "They were taking up the whole coastal path with their twine and equipment. I struggled to make my way past safely with my daughter and dog. They shouted at us to watch their twine! I didn't realise it would all end up in the sea."
Historical and global concerns
Patangbazi, immortalised in the bestselling novel The Kite Runner, has origins stretching back over 2,000 years when kites were deployed for military operations. Discarded kite strings are seldom recovered and can become ensnared in trees, power cables and structures. In nations where the pastime is widespread, abandoned strings have resulted in serious facial wounds and even deaths. During India's Uttarayan festival in January 2023, six individuals lost their lives after their throats were slashed by glass-coated kite strings.
Kite clubs in Birmingham and Manchester generally fly traditional paper and bamboo kites at locations spanning from parks to coastal regions.
One sailor recounted how his vessel was caught when fighter kites were flown from Carreg y Defaid on the Llŷn Peninsula, Gwynedd. He said: "I got my prop all wrapped with their twine – I had to anchor up and lift the outboard to cut it off." People were most angry about the possible impact on swimmers, birds and marine life.
One woman said: "The poor dolphins, seals and other marine creatures get caught up in this twine. Totally selfish and irresponsible!"
Regulations and response
Fighter kites are typically flown at altitudes of between 50ft and 200ft to maintain manoeuvrability – any higher and operators begin to lose responsive control during dogfights. The UK's Civil Aviation Authority generally limits unpermitted kite-flying to 60 metres (approximately 197ft). It was reported the group were using distinctive black and white patterned kites to ensure visibility at greater heights.
North Wales Police said it had not received reports of alleged incidents. Natural Resources Wales was also approached for comment. It remains unclear whether the kite fliers were breaching any regulations beyond littering.
