Efforts by the seaside town of Katwijk to stop youngsters blowing up waste bins with fireworks during the New Year celebrations were a total failure, with more bins than ever being destroyed.

The council spent some €15,000 on a campaign to give its waste bins a personality, with stickers and videos, and on sending locals balloons to blow up instead.

However, the council has now admitted, in response to questions from local party KiesKatwijk, that the resort suffered the most New Year-related damage in five years, totalling €53,039.

In total, 49 bins, which had been given names such as Pieter Prullenbak, were wrecked by fireworks, compared with 43 in 2025. A further 18 play areas were vandalised, up from nine the year before.

Council officials said it is difficult to assess how much damage there would have been without the campaign, but that they are now investigating what approach to take in the coming year.