Latest news with #villagers
Times
12 hours ago
- General
- Times
Roaming peacocks divide village where they run wild in streets
'There have been six on top of my car. I've had up to 18 of them in my garden. They look nice but they're a nuisance.' Les Gladwell, 75, is talking about peacocks. Lots of them. In the North Lincolnshire village of Hibaldstow, the residents share their streets, rooftops and gardens with up to 30 wild peafowl — and opinion is split. To some, the birds are charming neighbours. To others they are noisy vandals with a fondness for shiny cars and shredding flowerbeds. Peafowl, the collective term for peacocks and peahens, are not native to the UK but with their showy feathers have long strutted across country estates and farmyards. They can live to 25 years old. In Hibaldstow they have roamed freely for decades and some locals believe the first pair came from a nearby farm in the 1970s. In recent years numbers have soared. Given the population of 2,400 people, there is an estimated one peafowl for every 80 villagers.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupts, spewing hot ash into 10km-high mushroom cloud
One of Indonesia's most active volcanoes has erupted, spewing a tower of hot ash and smoke reaching 10,000 metres high. Local authorities raised volcanic activity alerts to their highest level before Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, in the country's south-central region, began to emit a massive plume of smoke that could be seen from 150 kilometres away. Authorities expanded the danger zone surrounding the volcano — marking where volcanic activity made the area unsafe — to 8 kilometres from the crater. Videos of the eruption that began around 5:30pm local time showed villagers watching as the ashes expanded into a mushroom-shaped ash cloud. Local villager Frans Kino said it was the first time he had seen an eruption this big on the mountain. "It looks like this eruption is quite large. Up there, it must be dark," he said, pointing to where he lived up the hill. Indonesia's Geology Agency said in a written statement that the volcano unleashed 10,000 metres of thick grey clouds on Tuesday afternoon, following significant volcanic activity. It reported 50 deep volcanic earthquakes in 2 hours, compared to the daily average of eight to 10 events. There were no casualties reported but residents were warned to be vigilant about heavy rainfall triggering lava flows in rivers originating from the volcano. A previous eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki in November killed nine people and injured dozens. Lewotobi Laki-Laki — whose name means "male Lewotobi" — is a twin volcano to Lewotobi Perempuan, which translates to "female Lewotobi". The 1,584-metre mountain is on the Flores island of Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province and is just one of the 120 active volcanoes along seismic fault lines in the Pacific Basin known as the "ring of fire". Indonesia is an archipelago of 270 million people with frequent seismic activity. AP
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Outrage as travellers 'destroy' tranquil New Forest village with 'illegal' land grab - as ex-minister rages 'civil rights' of those shamelessly flouting planning laws should be 'forfeited'
Fury has exploded over an 'illegal' traveller camp which threatens to 'destroy' the tranquillity of a tiny village in the heart of one of the UK's prized national parks. Residents living in the quintessentially British community of Burley, in the New Forest, have lashed out over the unauthorised development on the outskirts of the village. Those behind the project have been accused of shamelessly flouting planning rules by paving over part of a field and installing a number of caravans and mobile homes. It's led to a months-long row, with a judgement on whether a retrospective planning application to allow it to stay or not, set to be made in a matter of weeks. However, it has sparked a fierce backlash, with one ex-minister raging those behind the scheme should have their 'civil rights... forfeited' over the flagrant rule break. One villager fumed: 'The travellers have shown complete disregard for the community... It's a level of disrespect. They have come in and destroyed protected lands without permission.' The woodland idyll, nestled between Southampton and Bournemouth, is home to about 1,350 people and is heavily reliant on tourism in the summer. It has no railway station, one primary school, a village shop and a sporadic bus service. Those living there are fiercely protective of their historic home's unspoilt, natural surroundings and have been left outraged by the gypsy development. The site, on a former pony field off Ringwood Road, was converted without permission several weeks ago. It's a stone's throw away from the luxury Burley Manor hotel, which is a medieval Grade II-listed building. Those on the camp have since submitted a retrospective planning bid for two static caravans, two touring caravans, parking, bin and cycle stores, e-bike charging points, boundary fencing, and an extension of existing hardstanding. MailOnline understands the site is home to two families. The proposals - which are yet to be decided by the New Forest National Park Authority - triggered a furious response, with dozens of objections lodged. Local Tory MP Sir Desmond Swayne is also among those attacking the development, which he says had 'alarmed' his constituents. 'It's not been helped by the rather aggressive sign put up, that strikes fear into the community,' he added. 'What sort of people are these, who are putting up this intimidatory sign telling people to "keep out" or the dogs will get you'?' A deadline for a decision on the application is July 2 - however, officials at the NFNPA hope to have made a judgement before this date. However, former minister Sir Desmond feared the controversial scheme could be approved on the basis of 'human rights', allowing travellers to remain on the land instead of dismantling all the work that has already been undertaken there. Hitting out, the New Forest West MP told MailOnline: 'When you break the law you should forfeit your civil rights. Breaches in the law – even in planning regulations - should not be whipped through on the basis of human rights.' One 43-year-old villager accused the group of 'steamrolling' their way into the tranquil rural community by 'running roughshod' over planning laws. She added: 'Burley is like a little, sleepy, lost village in winter months. It's a beautiful, quaint and it's historic. 'There has been no attempt [by the travellers] to join the community or to be part of it. They have steamrolled their way in. 'The damage has now been done. You can't put back all the species in the hedges that were residing in there that were torn up for the fencing. 'This is a very passionate village. We're passionate about protecting it and preserving it... It's hugely disappointing that you have people who have not adhered to planning policy.' The development comes amid a 'land grab' blitz blighting Britain, which has seen travellers across the UK building camps in rural beauty spots without permission. A probe by the MailOnline has already revealed how the blight has rocked villages and towns in Buckinghamshire, West Sussex, Nottinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Gloucester, Worcestershire and Cheshire. This week, the rural north Devon hamlet of Charles became the latest community to be hit. Diggers bulldozed through a large grass bank to gain access to the secluded field in the picturesque north Devon hamlet - which is home to just a few dozen homes. The work, which is believed to be part of an unauthorised project to build a new traveller site, started at about 5pm on Monday evening, locals said. Within 24 hours, the tranquil patch of grassland had been transformed into a grey eyesore, standing out against the rolling green hills of the surrounding countryside. Elsewhere, travellers have been accused of carrying out brazen bank holiday 'land seizures' to rapidly build camps under the noses of council chiefs while their offices are closed. Allegedly weaponising the national breaks, industrial diggers, excavators and lorries carrying gravel, are mobilised to rip up and pave over fields in protected green belts during 'deliberate and meticulously planned' operations. Cynically, the 'illegal' conversions are done without any planning permission, flouting development rules - with 'retrospective' applications later submitted to councils to allow the newly-constructed sites to remain. Sir Desmond added he was worried about the number of unauthorised traveller sites, which he warned is now happening 'more and more often'. 'This is an established pattern. This isn't ignorance. This is gaming the system,' the veteran Conservative MP said. The exact date of when work started at the New Forest pony field in Ringwood Road is not known. However, officials believe it could have begun as early as March. A retrospective application was submitted shortly after, which prompted more than 80 letters of opposition. Andrew and Rachel Holloway, whose home overlooks the site, are among those calling for the scheme to be refused. In their written objection, they said: 'Until the site was developed six weeks ago, we looked out onto fields and hedgerows teeming with wildlife. The landscape had completely changed since the site has been developed.' Criteria for approving gypsy and traveller sites is set out in the New Forest Local Plan. It states: 'The New Forest has a long history of travelling communities and their needs are recognised in national planning policy. 'Planning policy [has] the overarching aim to ensure the fair and equal treatment of gypsies and travellers in a way that facilitated their traditional way of life, while respecting the interests of the settled community.' 'It requires proposals to demonstrate a proven need for accommodation, minimise harm to the landscape, and ensure developments do not negatively impact nearby residents or overload local infrastructure. 'The policy also states that occupancy should be limited to people with a local connection to the New Forest and emphasises the importance of conserving the area's natural beauty and tranquillity' The application has been submitted by Michael Chalk and Tom Butler. Planning consultant Tony White, who is representing the pairs' development bid, told MailOnline: 'Nationally councils have persistently failed to meet the statutory obligations to provide sites and pitches to meet the identified needs of gypsies and travellers. 'Faced with tougher policing powers to prevent roadside stopping, many gypsies and travellers feel they have no choice but to move on to their own privately-owned land before obtaining planning permission and are often forced to do so because of prejudice they encounter when roadside. 'The site prior to the two young families moving on, consisted of a brick built stable bock, large area of hardstanding and paddocks, they have carried out very little work to facilitate the occupation of the site, all of which can and will be removed should they be unsuccessful in the planning process. 'It is recognised that some residents will have concerns about the change or by travellers moving in nearby, but Mr Chalk and Mr Butler have in large part been made to feel very welcome in the village and are looking forward to their children attending the local schools and the families integrating with the settled community. 'Mr Buttler would like to add that they wish to reassure those residents who have expressed to the Mail they have fears or concerns, that it is only Mr Chalk's family and my family, that intend to live here and we want to make a home where we can raise our children, giving them access to education and medical facilities that we never had growing up, we just want to improve our children's futures and our families living standards.' Mr White added the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (Amended) contains provisions to 'regularise unauthorised works, through retrospective applications and lawful development certificates'. 'These are utilised for many reasons and by all sectors of communities, but I can assure you, that any decision on the planning application, will not be swayed or influenced by the applicants having moved on to their property ahead of the decision,' he said. The deadline for a decision on the site is July 2.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
‘They could poo for England': the mystery of the peacocks plaguing a village
In a village there are many things that cause neighbours to argue: differences in politics, disagreements over hedge maintenance, disputes over who will be Santa this Christmas. In east Staffordshire, however, the battle lines have been drawn over something far more unusual. Over the past 25 years, the village of Tutbury has been the home of an ever-growing pride of peacocks and hens who some residents say destroy crops, leave large amounts of mess and whose distinctive calls can be heard at all hours of the day and night. George, who owns a patch of land in the village's allotment where crops are fortified to avoid being ransacked by the peacocks, says the birds are like 'marmite' to the village. 'The people who love them really love them, and the people that hate them really hate them,' he says. Like the situation itself, the peacocks' origin story is a unique one. According to residents, decades ago three peacocks were housed in Tutbury Castle, which sits on a hill overlooking the village. Who put them there and cared for them is a source of debate, but all accounts say that one day whoever fed and looked after them, for reasons unknown, stopped, causing them to scavenge for food in the village. Some people also claimed that, possibly due to the Tutbury Castle being part of the Duchy of Lancaster, the peacocks are also technically owned by the king, hence the lack of action to control them. The disagreements have created such a divide that many of the doors you knock on refuse to speak on the record as people try to avoid conflict with their neighbours. Humphrey and Jackie Toon, 78 and 64, are two of only a few people in the village who feel comfortable making their feelings known publicly. The couple, lifelong residents of Tutbury, believe the peacocks don't mean any harm and are good-natured, but have become a nuisance. 'They wake us up at half four every morning – it's ridiculous,' says Jackie. 'They stop buses, they attack cars if they see their own reflection and they poo everywhere. They could poo for England.' Their sentiments are shared by others. One resident, who wished not to be named to avoid conflict with the peacock-loving household across the road, likened the experience of being surrounded by the birds to being trapped. 'It's like being in a zoo: they're around you, you can't get rid of them. It's like you're in the cage with them; day and night they're there.' They also said the constant noise from the peacocks has made it hard for he and his partner to recover from separate surgeries, and that they planned to move away from Tutbury to escape them. The local parish and borough councils said they were aware of the issue but that neither could do much to help because that was the responsibility of 'whoever owned the peacocks'.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
How I watched the CCTV in horror from my bedroom as thieves TUNNELLED into my store and stole 55 handbags worth £260,000 in just three minutes
When villagers saw people popping in and out of a house in the centre of the pretty Cheshire village of Prestbury last week, they assumed they were all there to undertake renovation work. Indeed, because Lilac Cottage had been gutted by fire last June, they were relieved that restoration work was finally being done.
