Journalism students are claiming a hoax tip-off from the south-west saw several newspapers - local and national - and regional television news run their story about vigilante Cornish surfers.

They even set up a website about "surf rage" to explain how locals in Portreath were violently confronting tourists and visitors to the shores in a bid to reclaim the sea.

It described a type of resentment for out of area/newbie surfers felt by "natives" of the area. 'May also be called Native-ism', it informed the nation's press.

The website shows photos of Locals Only graffiti, and said: "We have just been informed that a group calling themselves Visitors Only have begun a campaign to secure a visitors only section of Portreath harbour wall! The locals of Portreath awoke this morning and were greeted by a stark message which reads quite simply 'Visitors Only'."

It also posted the supposed minutes of the first Heavy Locals meeting and a series of "demands" from local people.

After the press had been and gone it boasted: "We had the beach littered with surfers and dog walkers armed to the teeth with fake stories of localism.

"While we find this snowball of bullshit rather amusing, we also feel deeply concerned that such a large number of press could be easily fooled by our ridiculous demands, including the renaming of the Eden Project to St Piran Jungles.

"We have a hunch that they might have realised this but tailored the information in order for their stories to sound serious.

"It shows gross professional incompetence and a severe lack of research.

"We urge people to think more than twice before believing most of what you read and hear in the news."

The student journalists themselves say they are lying low after the hoax was revealed, but a key player was a photography student based in Cornwall.

The story was picked up by the Press Association, the local Newquay Voice, The Times, BBC Online, The Independent and BBC local radio.

Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121, or
e-mail pastill@nep.co.uk