Latest news with #Balderton
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 'Land-grabbing' travellers were 'lucky not to have caused a train crash' after using huge diggers to build an 'illegal' camp feet away from a major high-speed railway line, expert says
'Land-grabbing' travellers were lucky not to have caused a catastrophic train crash after using huge diggers to build an 'illegal' camp feet away from a major high-speed railway line, an expert has warned. Villagers living in the sleepy community of Balderton were left horrified by the development of an unauthorised site right next to one the area's busiest rail routes. Builders arrived in force during the VE Day bank holiday weekend last month to convert a field off Bullpit Road, in Nottinghamshire, into the new camp. Excavators, diggers and large trucks were seen on the grassy plot, which was flattened and gravelled over in less than 72 hours - all without planning permission. One ex-soldier, who spent 22 years in the Royal Engineers before moving into health and safety and construction, said the works risked triggering a catastrophic rail crash. The Gulf War veteran, who lives locally, also chillingly claimed it was a miracle excavators did not damage the railway line or accidentally strike high-speed trains, which can race just feet from the new camp at a blistering 125mph. 'It brought a chill to my spine,' the retired Warrant Officer 1 told MailOnline. 'It's a busy line. The trains won't be able to stop, whizzing past the crossing at 125mph. 'It doesn't bear thinking about if you made a mistake. All it would have taken would have been for an excavator to have over-reached and hit a train passing. Then you would have had something really serious on your hands.' The retired Royal Engineer - who was previously an instructor at the regiment's prestigious engineering school in Chatham, Kent - added: 'We would have had to jump through hoops for months with Network Rail to do what they did that close to the northern main line.' An enforcement notice was later served by Newark and Sherwood District Council on May 8 - days after the works began - ordering the unauthorised construction to stop. A retrospective planning application for ten individual pitches, each with a static caravan and touring caravan, and ancillary hardstanding, has since been submitted by the landowner. However, locals fear the new site will prompt house prices in the area to 'plummet'. And concerns have also been raised about the risk posed by the camp's access, which is next to a busy level crossing. Neighbours fear travellers turning into it could block the road, leaving drivers stranded on the tracks as the barriers come down. One local, who asked not to be named, told MailOnline they were shocked when the unauthorised encampment appeared. 'We felt sick. Your stomach drops out,' they said. 'We thought this was our forever home. We love the neighbours then suddenly they turn up and build a traveller camp right on our doorstep. It's going to reduce the value of properties around here.' The retired soldier - who during the first Gulf War in 1990 helped build runways for military jets in the Middle East - added he was stunned by the speed of the work at the field. 'I know how to move a lot of stone with a lot of tippers, bulldozers and excavators quickly. So, to do all this in 72 hours takes a huge amount of planning. It was literally like a military operation,' the engineer said. The development in Balderton is not the only one to have sprung up around the area in the past few weeks. A similar development took place north of the community, between the nearby villages of Weston and Egmanton. A huge 40-pitch caravan site was built over the Easter bank holiday in April without planning permission. The site, based on a field off the A1, was completed in a matter of days, with tarmac roads and fences. As well as roads built on the camp, locals said they had also seen septic tanks sunk, electricity and water illegitimately connected, and key drainage dykes filled to create the site access. Both the plots in Balderton and Weston appear to be latest in a trend exposed by MailOnline which has seen fields unlawfully developed into traveller sites. Groups across the UK have been accused of carrying out brazen bank holiday 'landgrabs' 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. Since April, locations across the country have seen a sudden surge of developments - with the bulk taking place on the Easter, VE Day and late May bank holidays. An investigation by MailOnline has revealed similar unauthorised 'landgrabs' blighting villages and towns across Buckinghamshire, West Sussex, Nottinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Gloucester, Worcestershire and Cheshire. During a fiery village meeting about the new site in Weston, furious residents feared the area would not be able to cope with the sudden surge of travellers. 'There's 40 caravans, so maybe 160 people - we don't have a shop, we don't have buses, the school can't take them,' one person said at the recent public meeting, as reported by the Newark Advertiser. 'What are they going to do? It'll increase stress on services, and they'll be bored and get into anti-social behaviour and it will increase stress on the police. 'There's been noise and light pollution all night, and intimidation. When I first came here I never felt so safe — I daren't leave my house because of this. I can't take it.' There is a large gypsy and traveller community around Newark area, with sites dotted across the district. However, the Labour-run authority overseeing the district is facing an accommodation crisis for its nomadic residents, with a recent assessment saying at least 169 new pitches need to be made by 2034 to house travellers. In a statement about the development in Bullpit Road, a council spokesman said: 'Newark and Sherwood District Council has been working diligently to find a solution to address the unauthorised development on Bullpit Road, Balderton. 'It is extremely disappointing that the occupants chose to ignore the requirement to secure planning permission and undertook construction works without permission and during the night. 'In an ideal world, the council would have the powers to step in straight away, stop the works, and clear the site. Sometimes we can do this, for example, if something is likely to be a danger to the public or create irreversible damage to a heritage building. 'But in regards to Bullpit Road, this isn't the case, and so we have to find another way to address the unauthorised development.' Network Rail confirmed it was not consulted prior to the work at the camp taking place, with the authority receiving its first notice on May 28 via the council.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Police sergeant hit by train after ‘misleading' information given, inquest hears
A police sergeant was struck by a train after 'misleading' information was given to officers trying to help a vulnerable man on a railway line, an inquest has heard. Police officers were told Network Rail would be contacted to stop the train, but the call was delayed by five minutes before Graham Saville was fatally injured in Balderton, near Newark, Nottinghamshire, an inquest into the 46-year-old's death was told. Nottingham Coroner's Court heard that officers attending the incident with Sgt Saville repeatedly told the police dispatcher that the distressed man, referred to in court as Patient C, was near the railway line on the evening of August 24 2023. No contact was made with Network Rail to stop the train until 20 seconds before Sgt Saville was struck at 7.08pm, Nottinghamshire coroner Laurinda Bower told the inquest. Ms Bower said the two officers were told the police control room was 'on to' National Rail and had them 'ready to go in case' Patient C went onto the tracks, but 'the phone had not been picked up'. Jack Richardson, who was working as a Nottinghamshire Police dispatcher for the Newark area that evening, gave evidence to the inquest on Wednesday, and told the court the call to stop trains on the line 'should have been made sooner'. The coroner asked him if the reassurances given to the officers were 'misleading', to which the witness replied: 'It could be interpreted that way by the officers, yes.' Ms Bower said to Mr Richardson: 'It seems to me that there was a five minute delay in seeking to make contact with Network Rail, between officers saying he is looking like he (Patient C) is going to go onto the line… then five minutes lapsing before anyone picks up the phone to get onto Network Rail. 'It limits the time Network Rail has got to take any effective action.' The witness said: 'I was not aware that we should be calling Network Rail prior to that. It was my understanding that a call should be made when someone enters a rail network.' Mr Richardson agreed it was 'obvious' that it would take more than a few seconds to stop a train moving at a speed of up to 125mph. He added: 'That call should have been made sooner. Given the new training that's been brought in, Network Rail should be advised, informed, as soon as there is a first mention of someone heading towards the railway network.' Sgt Saville sustained serious injuries and his life support was withdrawn five days after the collision, the inquest heard. The inquest continues.
BBC News
03-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Graham Saville inquest: Officer recalls moment train hit colleague
A police officer has told an inquest of the moments leading up to her colleague being fatally hit by a train as they tried to get a vulnerable man off railway Graham Saville was struck after he was deployed to the railway line near Newark, Nottinghamshire, on 24 August survived the impact but died in hospital five days later, a hearing at Nottingham's Council House was Tuesday, PC Liv Stockdale told the inquest she attended the scene with Sgt Saville and another colleague after reports a man, known as Patient C, had taken an overdose of caffeine and was heading towards the train tracks. The inquest was told PC Stockdale and her colleague PC Ben Powell attended the scene and saw Patient C in Main Street, Balderton, at 18:58 said she and PC Powell tried to engage with the man, who had called 999 to say he was going to walk in front of a train, but he walked up to an embankment and climbed a locked gate leading to the court heard Sgt Saville, a 46-year-old father of two, had been deployed separately because he was trained to use a Stockdale said she had contacted the police control room a number of times asking for Network Rail to be asked to stop trains on the court heard a control room officer informed her a colleague was "on it" at 19:07 when Patient C climbed the gate and started to run down the railway told the court Sgt Saville ordered that all three of them follow Patient C when she again radioed in to request an urgent stop on the line. The inquest was told there was a call from Nottinghamshire Police to Network Rail to get an urgent stop on trains at 19:08 and 23 Stockdale said Patient C had shouted to say two trains were approaching - one from each Laurinda Bower said an order was issued from the police control room for officers not to go on the track at 19:08 and 43 seconds - two seconds before Sgt Saville was Bower said the order had been issued "far too late" for the officers to get off the tracks and 20 minutes after they told the control room Patient C was heading towards the track. The court heard the LNER trains on that line could travel at 55m per Stockdale said she did not recall having a conversation with her colleagues about anyone being a "lookout" as they followed Patient C on to the said her radio signal, by the tracks, was intermittent, and there was noise from the wind and the oncoming trains preventing her from hearing continues.
Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Pupils ‘put in isolation' for shaving heads in solidarity with cancer-hit classmate
Pupils were allegedly put in isolation for shaving their heads in support of a school friend who was diagnosed with cancer. A group of boys from Newark Academy, in Nottinghamshire, decided to shave their heads to show solidarity with a friend who now faces bouts of chemotherapy. But they were allegedly placed in isolation and banned from their end of year prom by the school after claims they had breached the behaviour and appearance policy. According to a fundraising page set up by the boy's family, he is unable to sit exams or work his weekend job while in hospital four days a week. Parents said on social media that the school had punished pupils by putting them in isolation and banning prom. One wrote: 'What the hell is wrong with Newark Academy!! Punishing pupils by isolation and banning prom for showing support for a friend with cancer. 'Their crime? Shaving their heads. That school is on a power trip. Punishing lots of pupils for next to nothing.' Another commented: 'Instead of punishing children from showing empathy and compassion, why not listen to them and support them with these massive big emotions and help educate the whole school about this cancer awareness.' Senior leaders at the Nova Education Trust, which runs the school in Balderton, Newark, insisted that the behaviour and appearance policy was paramount, adding that it had a responsibility to 'uphold agreed standards and rules'. A spokesman for the trust said: 'We are aware of the recent situation involving students who have shaved their heads, an action that is in breach of our school's behaviour and appearance policy. 'First and foremost, we want to acknowledge and commend the compassion and solidarity these students have shown for their friend. Their empathy and support are qualities we value deeply in our school community. 'Our school policies are designed to create a consistent and focused learning environment for all students. While we understand and respect the motivations behind their actions, the schools have a responsibility to uphold their agreed standards and rules, which are communicated clearly to all students and parents.' Johno Lee, an independent councillor on Newark and Sherwood district council, said: 'When I first heard the rumours on social media you wonder if people are exaggerating. But I was shocked to have it confirmed that it's true, and it's just wrong. 'I was in the military for 12 years and appreciate there's a dress code to follow, but these boys were doing a good deed for a friend. This damages the reputation of the school, and I would urge them to reconsider their actions and hope the boys are eventually vindicated and allowed to go to the prom. 'These boys should not be punished for showing solidarity with a friend.' The Gofundme page set up for the boy reads: 'His friends have been amazing and all shaved their heads in support of him. The support he's had from them has been absolutely amazing. 'Any donations would be greatly appreciated for when he gets out of hospital. It will also help towards the family's endless trips to QMC [Queen's Medical Centre] and time off work to look after him.'
