We noticed that one of them was taking photos of the rock with one hand, and was dangling a banana skin from the fingers of his other hand, whilst his companion carried the remnants of an apple in one of his.

As they got went further and further into the airfield, I shouted out at them and told them they could not walk there and advised them to come back. They shouted something back, but eventually they came back to the path.

We were astonished to think that no one from the tower had put out a call asking them not to go wandering off. If we had not called out to them they could well have gone to the very ends of the airfield.

I ask, is this the sort of security we have to look forward to? We all know that there is a vehicle “el chivato” which goes out on to the airfield before a plane lands, to check for debris that the wind might have blown in; but a banana skin if stepped on, can then make the ground dangerously slippery. Is there no one at the tower when in between flights? I sometimes think that we are getting very lax with our security!

Not only this, but generally when they close the gates to the public when a plane is coming in or taking off, I have often seen coming into Gibraltar, a large queue of people who have not been advised to hurry but who stroll along the strip; even stopping half way to take photographs!

The other day one of the security police had to leave his post to tell a Spaniard to stop taking pictures and hurry up; on top of which the Spaniard let know of his displeasure! I despair; I truly do!

05-02-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR