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And they’re off! Sunbed wars begin as holidaymakers sprint to secure their favourite spots at crack of dawn in TUI Tenerife hotel
- Tourists waited for as long as 90 minutes first thing in the morning for sunbeds
- Holidaymakers charged past one another in the battle for the coveted loungers
- Sunbed wars have been a common feature at Spanish resorts this summer
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Swarms of holidaymakers battled it out to grab a sunbed at the crack of dawn at a hotel in Tenerife.
Footage shows crowds of desperate tourists waiting next to their resort’s swimming pools and descending en masse to grab the best spots at the earliest possible time.
Brits armed with swimming togs and sun cream raced past rival holidaymakers with a grim determination to secure their place in the sun for a day.
Some were reported to queue for 90 minutes first thing in the morning – waiting for some unknown signal before stampeding past opposing tourists towards the coveted sun loungers.
No compromise: Holidaymakers made the dash to claim the best sunbeds ahead of their opponents
It is generally accepted in Spanish resorts that a towel left on a sunbed is claimed by its owner for the entire day. The origin of this rule is not known, though it is thought to be a German invention.
Although not all hotels allow this rule, when in place it can create heated competition between holidaymakers desperate to enjoy themselves more than their neighbours.
The storming of the poolside at the four-star Spring Hotel Bitacora, Playa de las Américas was recorded by a bystander at the resort and posted on TikTok.
Rival groups advanced from all sided to lay their towels down and stake their claim for the day
Chloe Turner captioned her first video: ‘So I’m in Tenerife and everyone’s running to secure their sunbed spot,’ The Sun reported.
She said in her second: ‘Another day, another sunbed war’ as rival groups advanced from all sides to claim their place.
The struggle for sunbeds has been a common sight across Europe this summer as tourists return to sun-soaked destinations amid record-breaking heat.
France is enjoying its fourth heatwave of the year, while Spain saw its hottest July for 60 years as temperatures soared across the continent.
Temperatures have been as high as 37C by 7am in Spain, as the country has been hit by raging wildfires during the heatwave.