German authorities are banning the building of sandcastles at beaches in case they fall over and injure people or block the path of emergency services.

The Local reports that some beaches on the islands of Fehman and Sylt have imposed a total ban on the structures, while Sieksdorf and Neustadt allow sandcastles, provided they do not exceed four metres (13ft) in diameter.

Beaches at Kellenhusen and Grossenbrode impose a three metre (10ft) restriction, with all beaches restricting height to 50cm (20 inches).

According to lifeguards, the beaches need to be kept clear for ambulances in case of emergencies, and there are also concerns that the structures could collapse.

Speaking to the local Kieler Nachrichten paper, a lifeguard said: “there is a risk of tripping, and from a certain height it can be dangerous,” however one father told the paper that it was another demonstration of the Germans’ over-officious nature. “The Germans want to regulate everything with a passion,” he said.

In 2012, a ten-year-old boy was killed at the coastal resort of Amrum when a metre-deep hole he had dug on a beach collapsed, burying him alive.