Hundreds block roads to illegally swim at lakes
POLICE CALLED AS WARNINGS ISSUED OVER GRAVEL PITS
HUNDREDS of people have been illegally swimming in disused gravel pits in Long Eaton – and blocking a road to get there.
The problem has been a nightmare for residents as dozens of cars have been blocking Pastures Lane.
Long Eaton is home to a series of lakes, which in recent years have started to be used for illegal and dangerous open water swimming.
The lakes are owned by building materials company CEMEX, which is doing all it can to keep people off its property.
Police were called to Pastures Lane on Monday and Tuesday last week – the hottest days of the year – after reports of large numbers of cars parked on the road and people swimming.
A Derbyshire Police spokesperson said: “A large number of people were found at the site and were moved along.
“Pastures Lane is a narrow route that can, should large numbers of cars be parked on it, become blocked – meaning that other vehicles are unable to pass by, including emergency vehicles.
“This is dangerous and we would urge anyone parking in such a manner not to do so. Any threatening or aggressive behaviour towards members of the public, or staff of nearby businesses, will not be tolerated and the force will deal with this robustly. Swimming in gravel pits of this nature is extremely dangerous. Bodies of water like this can remain lethally cold even on hot days, can hide various hidden dangers and contain unknown, potentially hazardous, substances.”
They added: “For those wishing to swim in open water you can do this in a controlled environment, with a qualified lifeguard on hand, on the same road.”
Spring Lakes is a business that safely offers open water swimming, supervised by lifeguards. General manager Steven Barnett explained that on one day there “were approximately 400 vehicles abandoned on Pasture Lane with the occupants smashing fencing and gaining access to the CEMEX lake. Our staff were subjected to numerous threats and abuse whilst trying to prevent them parking at our facility”.