IT beggars belief that in an age when young people are increasingly taking adults to task over the environment, a minority of pupils on Walney find it appropriate to leave a nature reserve resembling a rubbish dump.

You have to question what they learned at school if the way they sign off is blighting their own beauty spot, having been specifically told not to do so by school leaders.

We all have a responsibility to take our litter home, yet far too many people, including adults, arrogantly shrug it off as someone else’s job.

If we want a nice area, we all have a stake in it. That includes clearing up after yourself and sometimes taking away the mess of others.

Littering is not only lazy and selfish, it spoils the area for those who enjoy it and angers those trying to keep it nice for everyone, including wildlife.

The community is angry but shaming children on social media is going too far. It’s clear those involved will regret their actions in the cold light of sobriety, while the scale of the backlash shows how passionately the majority of people feel about their home.

We were all young once and all made stupid mistakes, learning is the important part. It is reassuring that some of those concerned have done the right thing by holding up their hands and apologising. This is the way to start making amends. A beach clean-up wouldn’t go amiss either.