Day of shame at reservoir
10 HOURS OF MAYHEM AS HUNDREDS DESCEND ON BEAUTY SPOT ‘ARMED WITH CRATES OF LAGER, BARBECUES AND GIANT INFLATABLE DINGHIES’, AS DANGEROUS PARKING FORCED ROAD CLOSURES AND ‘BARE-CHESTED HOOLIGANS’ TERRIFIED LOCALS
HUNDREDS of visitors armed with crates of lager, barbecues and giant inflatable dinghies led to a “day of shame” at a South Derbyshire beauty spot with roads having to be closed.
Police likened the many incidents at Foremark Reservoir , near Repton, to an episode of TV holiday sitcom Benidorm, which features the antics of Brits letting their hair down abroad. The mayhem led to officers having to close the roads around the reservoir.
It was a shift that officers from the Swadlincote police safer neighbourhood team will not forget in a hurry as “bare-chested hooligans” terrified those living nearby. There were issues with dangerous parking and abuse thrown at reservoir rangers, they said.
One parent also left a child alone in a hot car, and litter louts who threw rubbish in nearby gardens were made to pick it up by police.
As temperatures reached a sweltering 29 degrees on Sunday, June 13, Foremark once again saw visitors descend to make the most of the nice weather – bringing with them a raft of antisocial behaviour. The venue is hugely popular with families, who like to picnic around the water, which includes a sandy beach area.
Officers described it as an horrendous 10-hour period for them and they have dubbed the shift as one of “scorching, wanton destruction and recklessness”.
Problems they faced included 27 ignorant drivers who dumped their vehicles on the grass verge near the reservoir next to double-yellow lines without any consideration for other road users or residents. They were all issued with traffic offence tickets, which will be arriving through the post, said a spokesman.
Some of the drivers blatantly tried to argue that they were not parked on the verge, despite the grass being stuck in their car doors from when they got in. Officers also took photographs at the scene of the bad parking.
A spokesman said: “To the barechested hooligans who terrified property owners on Repton Road by blocking their driveways with cars, as well as discarding detritus in local residents’ gardens – what were you thinking? The males were identified, challenged and cleared from private driveways – but not before being mandated to pick rubbish from the grass verges.
“This was a perfect moment for reflection for the red-faced males as they were observed by local residents doing their impromptu litterpick. “To the visitor who hurled abuse at a lone, female ranger at the entrance of the reservoir – what were you thinking? With no sense of public norms, the rage-filled woman thought it was appropriate to humiliate the volunteer by taunting her whilst filming her on a mobile ‘phone, simply because she had been informed that the reservoir was closed to the public.
“The upset volunteer was supported by officers at the scene and an investigation is underway to identify the offender.
“To the selfish parent who left her unattended young child in a car at the peak of the day’s heat – what were you thinking? The adult was quickly identified and refused entry to the reservoir – and told to return home.”
There was also an argumentative female driver who “erratically” drove through a police road closure, despite officers saying there were signs, a marked police car with its lights on and a police officer at the scene, said a police spokesman.
The spokesman for the team, which is an arm of Derbyshire Police, said: “Despite clear signage, a marked police car with blue flashing lights and an officer at the cordon, the driver was so eager to get to her destination that she performed an outrageous manoeuvre, by driving on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic.
“When the officer spoke to her she remained defiant, screeching that she would: ‘Do it again.’ The officer was aghast to be confronted by the woman’s mother who yelled at him that she would: “Do the same.’ Officers visited the driver’s home address last night, issued her with a section 59 notice warning, and told her that if she does do it again, her car will be seized.”
Other ignorant drivers blocked access points for farmers into the fields with football paraphernalia and abandoned cars. Officers again took the registration numbers of the vehicles and tickets will be sent out in the post.
One family found themselves trapped at the reservoir after failing to get out by 8pm and then did what police described as a record-breaking manoeuvre.
The spokesman said: “With no logical way out of the reservoir, the household was trapped behind a giant 20-foot long electric gate. The BMW driver had managed to wedge his vehicle down an adjacent grass verge when officers arrived at the scene.
“What followed would have brought a chuckle to even the most morose face. The driver went on to complete a record-breaking 300point manoeuvre. Never in human history has the reverse and first gear being used in such close succession.
“Resembling the 1972 electronic game Pong, the driver eventually managed to navigate his car out of the reservoir. Officers reminded the driver to observe signage in the future.”
Youths in their swimwear were made to collect their litter and leave the reservoir after being caught by an officer bathing in the dangerous water and littering the beach area. They were told to leave and not return.
Finally, a lone male decided to urinate in public in full view of young children and passing motorists.
The spokesman said: “With wild abandon and to the horror of onlookers, the male made no attempt to use a public toilet or go behind a tree. His joy of spraying rusty-coloured urine only came to a stop when a passing officer parped a car horn, causing the male to bouquet his offerings down his leg.
“The man was put in a police car, given a very stiff talking to by the sergeant, with firm action to follow. He was then sent on a mile-long chaffing walk of shame back to his parked car, which had also been issued with a ticket.”
Police made the decision at the weekend to close roads around Foremark due to the volume of visitors and dangerous parking.
The spokesman said: “Nothing could have hardened the officers’ stomachs for the undiluted, fullthrottle antisocial behaviour that was to follow.
“The troublesome shift will be forever known as one of scorching, wanton destruction and recklessness.
“During an horrendous 10-hour period, acres of beautiful Derbyshire countryside was turned into a triple, back-to-back, episode of ITV’S Benidorm.
“Concentrated into a dystopian four-mile geographic radius around Foremark Reservoir, located near Ticknall, hundreds of excursionists and sightseers – armed with crates of lager, barbecues and giant inflatable dinghies – descended for what soon became a day of shame.
“Derbyshire Constabulary received intelligence that the 85-acre reservoir had reached full capacity at 13:00 hours. Within ten, short minutes, calls from anxious residents were received requesting assistance.
“It was immediately clear that the location had become a magnet for inexcusable parking, as well as inconsiderate conduct and behaviour.
“With response officers dealing with a range of other incidents, your safer neighbourhood team was designated to manage a growing number of unsavoury and eye-watering incidents.
“Firstly the stem of voluminous visitors heading to the reservoir – many arriving by taxi and privatehire coach – was causing considerable gridlock. A decision to close the principal roadway leading to the site was made, in order to protect public safety.
“What a weekend.”
The troublesome shift will be forever known as one of scorching, wanton destruction and recklessness.
Police