Wokingham Today

‘TEENS BREAK INTO TURF FARM’

- By JESSWARREN jwarren@wokinghamp­aper.co.uk

POLICE were called to Charvil last week to disperse teenagers “lighting fires and drinking” on the bank of the River Thames.

On Wednesday, June 24, residents of Loddon Drive called police after finding approximat­ely 100 young people trespassin­g on the turf fields owned by a local farmer.

Road resident Don Elliott said that since Monday, June 22 there has been a number of “15 to 17-year-olds coming down the road to swim in the Thames”.

He told Wokingham.Today:

“Our concern was they’re unsupervis­ed, trespassin­g, lighting fires, drinking and smoking marajuana and swimming in the river.

“It's only a matter of time before something happens — someone could drown.”

Mr Elliott was also concerned that cars and bicycles have been parking in the designated passing spaces along the private road.

“People are having to back up quite considerab­le distances,” he added.

“An ambulance got stuck trying to get through recently.”

Last week, one man drowned and another died in hospital died after an incident 25 miles downstream, near OdneyWeir, Cookham.

Mr Elliott said he was worried that something similar could happen in Charvil.

He added: “Therewere four big cans of rubbish left, and the Twyford Fishing Club committee to clear the mess.

“After the incident, residents have put up no parking signs, and there have beenmore signs put up by the turf farm.”

Charvil parish clerk, Miranda Parker said she was concerned the good weather was promoting littering across their parks.

She said: “We never had to do daily cleans of the parks

 ?? Picture (below): Kenneth Allen ?? Appromixat­ely 100 young people were found swimming in the Thames, drinking and lighting fires on private land last week.
Picture (below): Kenneth Allen Appromixat­ely 100 young people were found swimming in the Thames, drinking and lighting fires on private land last week.
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