Why Harry Potter fans are being asked to stop leaving socks at a beach in Wales

Dobby, a free elf and Harry Potter's friend, will be able to stay resting in his mock burial place after months of uncertainty, but fans have been urged to avoid leaving socks at the beach.

Harry Potter character Dobby was an integral character in the first of two film installments of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Source: AAP / AP

Key Points

• Fans will be allowed to pay tribute to Dobby, the free elf, at a beach in Wales "in the immediate term".
• The character was buried at the beach in the first of two film instalments of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
• The National Trust Cymru has urged people to stop leaving socks at the environmentally-protected conservation area.

Beach authorities in Wales have declared that the resting place of Dobby the house elf will remain available for Harry Potter fans to visit, after months of uncertainty shrouded by environmental concerns.

But the National Trust Cymru, responsible for the beach's conservation management, has urged people to keep their socks on their feet, rather than left out at the fan-made shrine.

Dobby was a widely-loved character in JK Rowling's Harry Potter series, later adapted into well-known Hollywood blockbuster films.

Fans from around the world travel to Freshwater West beach in Wales to leave socks and pay their respects to Dobby, a famous character in the Harry Potter series. Source: Instagram / mischief_manager_

His legacy lives on at Freshwater West in Pembrokeshire, known as the beach where the elf was buried in the first of two installments of the final movie Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows.

Since the film's release in 2010, fans from around the world have flocked to the beach in Wales to pay tribute to the elf, leaving messages of love, film memorabilia - and socks.

But concerns were raised earlier this year after high visitor numbers began to impact the pollution of the beach, which has been labelled as a legally protected conversation area.

Last week, the National Trust released the findings of the consultation, formed from two online surveys with nearly 5.000 participants.

"Based on the consultation results, the memorial to Dobby will remain at Freshwater West in the immediate term for people to enjoy," the statement said.

But it has called on fans to respect the conservation and wildlife in the area by refraining from leaving socks and other items at the mock burial site.

Fans have left Dobby dolls at his mock resting place at Freshwater West beach in Wales. Source: Instagram

"The Trust is asking visitors to only take photos when visiting the memorial to help protect the wider landscape."

"Items like socks, trinkets, and paint chips from painted pebbles could enter the marine environment and food chain and put wildlife at risk."

In the Harry Potter series, house elves are compelled to act as slaves to their masters unless they are gifted with clothing.

In the second film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Dobby's masters, the Malfoys, accidentally gift the elf a sock, declaring him free.

"Master has given Dobby a sock. Master has presented Dobby with clothes! Dobby is free!" Dobby said tearfully at the end of the film.