Vandals target barriers at popular beauty spot

In recent days temporary barriers and fencing have been vandalised at Fairy Glen in Appley Bridge.

The barriers have been put in place to keep people safe and to prevent walkers from straying from the public footpath which cuts across the site.

But site workers have discovered the barriers smashed, bent and often thrown into the brook, which they said is putting staff and other members of the public in danger.

The walking destination was forced to close last month due to an “unprecedented and unsafe ” numbers of visitors.

The authorities said the glen, which is a popular place for a walk with its streams and waterfalls, is a small area and it had proved impossible for visitors to stick to the Government’s social distancing guidelines while there.

West Lancashire Borough Council said the number of cars parking nearby was also causing problems.

In a statement about the vandalism Fairy Glen said: “We are experiencing extremely high levels of vandalism to our temporary barriers and fencing at Fairy Glen.

“The barriers have been put in place to keep members of the public safe and to prevent people from straying from the short stretch of Public footpath which cuts across the site.

“Each day we are finding our barriers smashed, bent and often thrown into the brook and this is putting our staff and other members of the public in danger.

“We ask that members of the public do not squeeze through, climb over, remove or vandalise the barriers which we have put in place.

"As soon as we get the go ahead to open the site, barriers and fencing will be removed so that people are able to easily access Fairy Glen. Until then, please respect the measures which have been put in place for everyone’s safety."

It added: “Do not visit the site unless you are using the public footpath as part of a longer route.”

Coun David Whittington, who represents the area on West Lancashire Borough Council, described the vandalism as “unacceptable.”

He said: “Anti-social behaviour in general is a problem and it’s not just related to Fairy Glen.

“We’ve had problems with nitrous oxide canisters being littered and drug taking.

“We’ve had three months where our lives’ have been severely restricted and anti-social behaviour has increased, so we need to be getting back to a more normal society if we can, and I’d like to see the glen re-opening. That doesn’t justify vandalism though which is unacceptable and which the vast majority of us don’t do."

He added: “So I hope the perpetrators behind this are identified and punished appropriately.”