Lockdown louts stretch 999 crews
EMERGENCY services were stretched over the weekend by youths breaching social distancing and fire safety regulations.
Warnings from the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to not light barbecues or fires fell on deaf ears as many went into party mode before the coronavirus restrictions had been officially lifted.
The weekend was soured by anti-social behaviour and large gatherings at a host of Kirklees’ most popular beauty spots.
Yesterday, Kirklees Rural Neighbourhood Policing Team told the Examiner it was “constantly receiving calls” about mass gatherings of youths in and around open water over the weekend.
PC Vicky Foale said: “There have been groups of up to 200 people, all leaving litter and engaging in anti-social behaviour. They have had fires which have caused damage to the landscape.”
PC Foale said there had been six ‘hot spots’ over the weekend: ■■Digley reservoir in Holmfirth ■■Bunny woods near to Lamb Hall road and the Old Bridge golf course
■■Longwood reservoir
■■Sparth reservoir in Marsden ■■Yateholme reservoir at Holmfirth
■■Scammonden Dam
She added: “We have contacted the local schools and colleges asking them engage with their students to try and deter them from attending.
“There is a Public Space Protection Order, which prohibits barbecues and fires from taking place on public land owned by Kirklees Council, the National Trust or Yorkshire Water, in the district.
“We need the youths to stay away from these areas before something serious happens. It is causing distress to local residents and consuming at lot of the emergency services’ time.”
The police warning came after the Skelmanthorpe, Holmfirth and Meltham fire crews revealed Saturday’s shift had been filled with fires in the open, mostly caused by illegal barbecues.
Along with the long running moor fire at Hatfield near Doncaster, firefighters dealt with a large grass fire at Botany Lane, Lepton, another in Hepworth and wildfires at Digley reservoir and Marsden.
A huge grassland blaze at the historic Castle Hill landmark in Huddersfield also occurred on Saturday afternoon.
Firefighters found a birds nest full of eggs among the charred landscape at the Digley reservoir incident.