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Sunbed wars are no longer confined to hotel pools – in Italy, the battle for the best beach spots is now hitting holidaymakers in the wallet.

Tourists who leave towels and other belongings on public beaches to claim a prime patch of sand while they are away risk having their items confiscated and being hit with a fine of up to €500 (£428).

Dubbed ‘furbetti dell’ombrellone’, or ‘umbrella cheats’, these beachgoers are now firmly in the sights of local authorities, who are cracking down on those attempting to reserve spots on public beaches when they are not there.

The clampdown is already under way, with officials recently removing around 40 unattended items from Laghetto Beach in Torre del Greco, including chairs, tables and parasols, reports WalesOnline.

Holidaymakers in Italy could be fined up to €500 if they try to reserve spots on the beach with sun loungers and towels (stock)

Some of the belongings had been left unattended for more than two days and those hoping to recover their belongings face a long process to get them back.

Overnight crackdowns in Castellabate, Campania, during July saw 200 items taken by officials.

In Campomarino, Campobasso, 170 items were removed.

Meanwhile on Micenci beach in Sicily, hundreds of items, including unattended loungers and beach towels, were confiscated.

Graziano Gagliardi, general manager at Private Italy Tour, told the publication: 'These fines are not being imposed simply because authorities dislike unattended towels.

'The rules exist to preserve access to publicly owned coastline and stop people informally claiming the best parts of the beach for days at a time.'

He explained that although Britons may view the behaviour as similar to reserving a hotel pool lounger, it isn't quite the same as 'a free Italian beach is public land' so different rules apply.

Leaving behind items can also make cleaning the beach difficult and create possible dangers if things like umbrellas aren't properly secured during bad weather.

Castellabate, in Campania is one of the spots where crackdowns have taken place

Mr Gagliardi emphasised that those who go for a dip in the sea and briefly leave their towel on the sand won't be fined.

'The simplest rule is that if you are leaving the beach for the day, every item you brought should leave with you,' he added.

He urged holidaymakers to reserve spaces on beaches using official booking systems instead if they are concerned about having a spot on the sand.

Around 20 beaches in Italy have limits to the number of people who can access them, and by July some were already fully booked for the summer season.

The crackdown comes after holidaymakers recently had their towels seized from beaches in Croatia in a bid to tackle overnight reservations on the sand.

The popular Adriatic resort of Makarska is on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast.

Officials in the dreamy destination started patrolling beaches in the early hours of the morning and collecting anything left unattended.

As a result, beachgoers are arriving to find some of the best areas, including coveted shady patches, are already claimed by towels and inflatables with nobody in sight.

Municipal crews have teamed up with wardens and harbour staff to carry out the clear-outs as soaring temperatures send tourists scrambling for the best spots.

It comes after a similar clamp down launched in Makarska, Croatia

During one raid earlier this month, officials seized enough abandoned towels and inflatables to fill an entire truck.

The operation is designed to free up space and give everyone a fair chance of grabbing a prime patch on the beach.

Despite signs warning against reserving spots, some holidaymakers have continued leaving their belongings overnight.

Municipal services company Makarski Komunalac issued a blunt warning on Facebook alongside images of wardens in action.

It read: 'It's hot and more people are really coming to the beach early, but it's not hard to notice items left overnight to "save a spot" for later arrivals.

'In cooperation with the municipal authority and Makarski Coast, we will repeat the actions of collecting abandoned objects as long as there are those who refuse to accept the clearly indicated rules for using city beaches.'

Authorities are also tackling commercial sun bed operators who spread loungers across large stretches of beach.

They insist the beaches are there for everyone to enjoy rather than those who manage to reserve the best spots overnight.