The capital’s inaugural beach day took place over the weekend with crowds gathering on Douglas beach, so we asked the public what their favourite beach is in the island.

Douglas Beach Day replaces the annual carnival that was voted by the council to be scrapped last year after poor crowds.

The new event had a range of attractions and entertainment on offer throughout the day, including face painting, paddleboarding, hula hooping and kite building.

The local authority allocated £10,000 for the event, which also incorporated the official opening of the new beach huts at Queen’s Promenade gardens and the new bathing raft in Douglas Bay.

On the topic of beaches we wanted to see which ones people like and which beaches people avoid.

Chris Venables, from Douglas, said her favourite beach is Fenella beach in Peel.

She said: ‘I love Fenella. It’s sandy and you can see the bottom as there is no seaweed.

‘The sunsets are absolutely amazing, if you go there in the evening it’s really lovely.’

Tom Baker and Rhyse Jones, from Peel and Crosby, both agreed that Port Erin beach is one of their favourites.

When asked why, Mr Baker said: ‘It’s a lovely beach because it has a really nice view and you’re close to some of the best boozers in the Isle of Man’.

‘My least favourite beach is Douglas. It’s just stones and it’s really awful, there’s not much to it at all.

‘Of course you’re close to everywhere you need but who gladly sits on Douglas beach?’

Mr Jones added: ‘I like Port Erin beach for the atmosphere and the location, there’s always great vibes.’

‘I like Glen Wyllin too as it’s a good camping spot, it’s usually pretty busy which is the only negative really.’

Joanne and Alan Clague said a good beach has both a lot of sand and plenty of space.

Mr Clague said: ‘Living in Laxey and having two labradors, I’d have to say Laxey beach is my favourite, it really is a popular beach destination’.

‘I like lots of sand on a beach, and obviously a pub nearby.’

Mrs Clague added: ‘It’s obviously Laxey [as her favourite], for the coffee and the ice creams.

‘I do like Port Erin and Peel as well – they are lovely beaches.’

‘I like somewhere nice to paddle’.

When asked if they had a least favourite beach, Mrs Clague said: ‘Douglas – it’s a mess.

‘I don’t know why it smells so terrible but it does.

‘I can remember when I came here in the 1980s and it was actually a really nice beach back then so I’m not sure what’s happened to it for it to change so much.’

Matt Cooil and Charlie Shefford love Peel beach as they both live close by.

Mr Cooil said: ‘I just think it’s boss, it’s sandy and really nice.

‘There’s not a lot of litter which is good but I suppose there are a lot of seagulls.

‘I think a good beach has stuff to do around it, a decent amount of pubs and a decent bit of food, just a place where you can sit back and relax really.’

Mr Shefford said: ‘I like Port Erin beach. It’s quite nice down there.’

When asked about his least favourite beach Mr Cooil said: ‘Who the heck would go to Douglas beach, honestly it’s wreaking, nobody’s there and it’s full of stones.’

He sarcastically added: ‘They have surely got to do something about it, maybe even turn it into a car park!’