A couple who stripped off and had sex in front of families on a beach have been jailed.

Lita Dawson and Nicholas Harrison romped by the sea in Seaford as children enjoying the Royal wedding bank holiday looked on.

Yesterday the pair – both aged 51 – were sent to prison for 12 weeks for outraging public decency.

Beachgoers spoke of their distress at seeing Dawson and Harrison, of Pelham Road, Seaford, frolicking in full view of the beach after they had downed half a bottle of vodka.

A five-year-old boy told his mother: “Mummy, that lady was doing push-ups on that man.”

Heather Salvage, prosecuting, told Eastbourne Magistrates’ Court: “They were in full view of everyone and didn’t seem to care.

“One woman was at the beach with her son, who was only five, when she became aware they were having sex. She tried to shield her son’s eyes.

“She said it made her very angry.”

The unemployed pair were arrested on the spot when outraged parents reported them to the police.

The court was told Dawson started the encounter but both were to blame.

Magdalena Biglou, defending Harrison, said: “It’s quite apparent that their behaviour was unpleasant, inappropriate and quite disgusting.

“The main instigator was the female. It was the female who was on top of the male.

“He asked Miss Dawson to stop a number of times but in essence his sexual arousal took over. He is totally disgusted with himself and his behaviour.”

The court was told the couple have since split up, after Dawson punched Harrison in the face.