ISLE of Sark Shipping and the island’s police are clamping down on yobbish behaviour by day trippers. The company has warned that this might include asking Guernsey Police to travel on vessels or employing a private security firm.

The move follows trouble in the island and on the Bon Marin on Saturday – the first weekend day trip of the season.

On the trip back to Guernsey, the vessel’s crew saw youths playing with lifejackets.

Police met the vessel on its return to Guernsey. Sark Constable Janet Guy said that several people might be prosecuted.

Ms Guy described the behaviour as deplorable. She warned that the Sark authorities were determined that yobbish behaviour would not be tolerated this year.

Isle of Sark Shipping director Glenn Drake echoed the warning. He said that following lengthy discussions with the Sark Constable, it might be necessary for police or private security personnel to travel on the company’s vessels on Saturdays.

Mr Drake said that the crew had difficulty containing the trouble last weekend. He added that it was a sad reflection on society that this sort of trouble could happen.

‘In the discussions I had with Jan Guy, she suggested that from Sark’s point of view, it would be necessary for a more proactive approach to policing to be adopted,’ said Mr Drake.

‘From the company’s point of view, we will warn the Sark authorities when we see large groups of people likely to cause difficulty. In addition, the need may well exist for either the police or private security staff to be carried on the last ferry from Sark on Saturday evenings.’

Ms Guy said that passengers catching the evening boat took four bikes. All were damaged, including two very small ones belonging to five-year-old Sark children.

‘At least one of the people involved was injured when the bicycle crashed and it may well be that charges are brought against him and others,’ she said.

A police spokesman said that the cycle damage was being investigated.

Sark Shipping actively discourages such events as stag and hen parties from travelling on its vessels, but Mr Drake said that the policy was difficult to implement when bookings were made by individuals and not groups.