Crowds flocking to river beauty spot spark tension

It is usually a serene riverside beauty spot, but tensions are building around a village green as large groups descend during the summer.

Issues such as fighting, defecating in the river, smoking cannabis and loud parties have been reported at the green in Bawburgh, a village west of Norwich.

Residents say up to 350 people are visiting on sunny days, with some unable to leave their homes because cars are blocking local roads.

Some villagers say the area is becoming so "unbearable", they are considering moving away from the site, which has been dubbed "Costa del Bawburgh" online.

Bawburgh is about five miles (8km) from Norwich's city centre and its green sits next to the River Yare.

The number of visitors has been booming, with as many as 150 parked cars counted on one weekend.

Recently, an ambulance attending an emergency had to turn around as it could not get through.

Peter Markham, chairman of Bawburgh Parish Council, called it a "difficult situation".

"We don't quite know how to resolve this, because we don't want to stop people coming.

"When the weather is good, people from all over come here to swim, but local people find it very difficult to cope with the sudden influx of visitors," he said.

Ben Goldsborough, Labour MP for South Norfolk, said frustrated villagers were complaining of escalating antisocial behaviour.

He described the situation as "a double-edged sword".

"We are in one of Norfolk's beauty spots, but because it is such a draw, we get people from hither and thither coming - and they do overwhelm our beautiful little village.

"There are people who aren't being treated fairly, who live in this village 24/7, and that's what we need to solve," he said.

Margie Kemsley is a 68-year-old lecturer who has lived in Bawburgh for decades.

She said her family and many of her neighbours were considering moving.

"It is a beautiful village, but it is gradually getting unbearable," she said.

"I see what people are doing in the river on a daily basis and there's no way I would be taking my grandchildren there now.

"It's becoming an incredibly uneasy place to live, because you are afraid to leave your house."

Sylvia Kingman, 69, lives in a property near the mill bridge.

She said people had broken into the gated community in order to jump off the bridge.

She has seen them doing backflips, which she said was risky due to concrete footings below.

"In the 30 years we have lived here, the problem has grown," she said.

"Some people have been quite aggressive towards us when we've asked them to leave."

While there are tensions, Goldsborough said the majority of visitors were respectful.

On a sunny July weekday, a number of families were enjoying the space and playing in the river.

Bec, 44, from nearby Bowthorpe, visited with friends and family.

She lives just up the road and feels the village green is part of her local community area.

"We love coming down here and always clean up after ourselves," she said.

Norfolk Police has encouraged villagers to report incidents and said it would carry out patrols when possible.

A spokesperson for the force said: "We recognise the impact these issues can have on those living nearby.

"We will continue to support residents...and ensure concerns raised by the community are highlighted to relevant partner agencies."

Options being considered include introducing a public spaces protection order (PSPO) to prevent future nuisance.

Goldsborough said he was confident solutions could be found.

He added: "If we get all the pieces in the right order, I know we can make this a beautiful spot for everyone to enjoy."

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