Felixstowe mum says beach wheelchairs are ‘life-changing’

Figures show that 20.6% of people in east Suffolk are registered disabled, some of whom, like Leila, may have had difficulty accessing the beach.

To try to change that, East Suffolk Council has made special beach wheelchairs free-to-hire in Felixstowe, Southwold and Lowestoft.

They have bigger wheels to get over stones and sand more easily and are available between 1 May and 31 October, or other dates on request.

The chairs are stored in lockers and can be accessed using a pin code sent to the user once a request has been approved by the council.

Sarah Whitelock, a councillor who is the cabinet member for communities, culture, leisure and tourism, said the beach wheelchairs enabled “people to access our beautiful beaches more easily”.

She added: “We are committed to providing welcoming, accessible seafront spaces for everyone, including our beach boardwalk, accessible outdoor gym equipment and changing places toilets in Lowestoft, as well as our accessible beach chalets at the seashore village in Felixstowe.”