Plymouth 'secret wave' photographer's truck attacked Published duration 10 January 2018

image copyright Ben Landricombe image caption Ben Landricombe's vehicle was attacked on the day his pictures of a wave appeared

A photographer's truck was vandalised after pictures of a so-called "secret" wave near Plymouth were published.

The words "surf snitch" were sprayed on Ben Landricombe's pick-up and he was subjected to threats and abuse on social media.

Mr Landricombe, 36, who is taking the case to the police, said: "I'm tough and I can take it, but my vehicle has been trashed. It's got out of hand."

image copyright Ben Landcricombe image caption The wave in Plymouth Sound is well known said Mr Landricombe

image copyright Ben Landricombe image caption Tyres on Mr Landricombe's vehicle were slashed

Mr Landricombe said that after the images appeared on 7 January the tyres on his vehicle were slashed and the exhaust pipe was blocked. The word "kook" sprayed on the vehicle is a term of abuse by surfers.

Secret wave spots in surfing culture are locations which are protected by local surfers.

But Mr Landricombe said it was "ridiculous" to claim the wave as a secret spot when its position had been widely published in the past.

"It did not realise it was going to get this bad, it's gone completely out of proportion," he said.

"I'm just a story teller who loves taking photos and sharing it to the world."

Another surf photographer who posted a photo he took of the same spot in 1978 was among a number of people who defended Mr Landricombe on social media.