Many operators have Facebook pages where you can find out more about each donkey, check ride times or see public opinion on welfare standards. Compiled by: Hayley Pinchbeck

1. John Nuttall’s happy bunch of beach donkeys operate on the traditional seaside resort beaches of Cleethorpes, Skegness and Ingoldmells in Lincolnshire. Call 07770 853147 for more information.

2. The charming village of Aberdovey, Snowdonia, has a four-mile stretch of beach and is home to Dyfi Donkeys. Call 07717 020344 to find out more (dyfidonkeys.blogspot.co.uk).

3. Parker’s Donkey World on Great Yarmouth sea front claims to have the ‘best asses on the beach’ – they’ve won awards so you decide! Find them between the piers on the main strip (07776 363171, facebook.com/Parkers-Donkey-World).

4. Melanie Rush’s West Hill donkeys can be found at the southern end of Weymouth Beach in Dorset, where their predecessors have worked on the golden sands since the early 1900s (weymouthdonkeys.co.uk).

5. The donkeys on the clean, sandy beaches of Barmouth in northwest Wales have the best view of the Snowdonia mountain range from their coastal pitch (facebook.com/barmouthdonkeys).

If you’re searching for fun for the whole family, and you’re not wanting to leave behind your beloved pooch, try out these dog-friendly hotels in Cornwall.

For more family-friendly activities by the sea, click here or pick up a copy of the magazine.