Boats motoring into waters filled with summertime swimmers could create 'bloody carnage', according to one concerned Falmouth resident.

Mark Wilson lives near Gyllyngvase beach and told the Packet he often sees "motor boats and other vessels coming inshore of the line of buoys that defines their limit and motoring amongst the swimmers and paddle boarders."

He said: "When the sun's out there are pleasure craft on the water, I don't think there's been a day when there isn't a boat coming inside the line of buoys, maybe two or three.

"The boats should stay out, they shouldn't come inside of that line, for the safety of swimmers and paddle boarders."

Mr Wilson described one incident he saw on the beach: "Saturday, August 12, was a lovely day and hundreds were enjoying the beach. As on every other day at Gylly a number of vessels ventured close to the shore.

"One speed boat with a large outboard engine came within a few metres of the beach. The owner jumped into the water leaving the outboard engine still running but in neutral. He was looking for his anchor which had become detached. The boat was in one metre of water surrounded by bathers including young children.

"One man waded idly to the back of the boat, its engine still ticking over. Had the engine slipped or been knocked into gear there is every chance that this would have resulted in life changing injuries and fatalities. Frankly it could have been bloody carnage."

He has called the current situation a "tragedy waiting to happen ," and pointed to a tragic case in Padstow which saw a father and daughter killed by an out of control speedboat as an example of "what can happen with a boat with people in the water."

Mr Wilson also asked why RNLI lifeguards who were on the beach on August 12 didn't speak to the man who left his boat idling, and said the RNLI should do more to discourage people bringing their boats into the marked area.

He said: "I'm not suggesting that policing and resolving the issue of inshore boats at Gylly beach is the sole responsibility of the lifeguards - and the normally wonderful RNLI - but they were certainly invisible on this occasion."

Falmouth Harbour Commissioners (FHC), the body in charge of regulating much of the waters around Falmouth, said the line of buoys 250 metres from the shore marked the area as having a four knot speed limit and it was not an exclusion zone.

Mark Sansom, FHC chief executive and Falmouth harbour master, said: “We have not received any direct complaints in regards to boats within the designated bathing area.

“In order to ensure the safety of bathers using our beaches, we can legally enforce a speed restriction of four-knots in the bay during the summer months - May 1 to September 30. We would encourage people who see boats travelling at any greater speed within this area, to report such sightings to FHC for further investigation.

“Marine activity within the bay is closely observed. FHC undertake regular beach patrols with their patrol boat and keep in close contact with lifeguards, who draw our attention to any concerns.”

A spokesperson for the RNLI said: "Boats are allowed in that zone as long as they reduce their speed and as long as they are adhering to that it shouldn’t pose an issue. The RNLI lifeguards on duty at Gyllyngvase are not concerned about this situation as the boats entering the zone do abide by the four knot limit."