Call to clean up Doncaster beauty spot and end nuisance bikers and dogging

It is one of the most beautiful spots in Doncaster, believe residents.
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But for many of those who use Edlington Pit Wood, action needs to be taken to stop people whose antisocial behaviour can spoil it for other residents who want to enjoy its rolling countryside.

The wood was developed on part of the former Yorkshire Main Colliery site after it shut in the 1990s, and has been well used since it was opened.

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Beyond the car park off Broomhouse Road, lie rolling hills with wide, asphalt paths that have proved popular with walkers, dog owners and cyclists. Moorhens can be heard among the rushes in a pond just a few yards from the entrance on tranquil days.

Tom Macleod, David Hoggard, Dave Sissons, Ian Singleton and Donna Fielding, pictured. Picture: NDFP-14-03-20 PitwoodEdlington 1-NMSYTom Macleod, David Hoggard, Dave Sissons, Ian Singleton and Donna Fielding, pictured. Picture: NDFP-14-03-20 PitwoodEdlington 1-NMSY
Tom Macleod, David Hoggard, Dave Sissons, Ian Singleton and Donna Fielding, pictured. Picture: NDFP-14-03-20 PitwoodEdlington 1-NMSY

Tom MacLeod, aged 72, a former soldier in the Royal Signals, who moved to Edlington after leaving the forces, loves the wood.

He said: “It is such a lovely place. Edlington does not have that many assets, but this is a real jewel in the crown. There are buzzards, there are deer – it’s bringing nature back.

“There are ponds here where children come to learn to fish. People come here from all over Doncaster. I know there are people coming from as far afield as Westwoodside.”

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Professional dog walker Donna Fielding shares Tom’s views of the site. Donna, aged 50, from Balby, comes to the pit wood up to three times a day.

Ian Singleton and Donna Fielding, Professional Dog Walker, pictured with Dogs, Lulu and Archie, on the Pit Wood.Ian Singleton and Donna Fielding, Professional Dog Walker, pictured with Dogs, Lulu and Archie, on the Pit Wood.
Ian Singleton and Donna Fielding, Professional Dog Walker, pictured with Dogs, Lulu and Archie, on the Pit Wood.

She said: “When you get to the top of the hill here, and look across into the distance, you could be absolutely anywhere in the world. It is a beautiful place to be.”

Retired science teacher Paul Keeton also loves the scenery, and travels from Micklebring. He enjoys riding his bicycle, and brings his dogs with him.

Another keen cyclist, Ian Singleton, a 49-year-old former Royal Horse Artillery gunner from Edlington also likes to bring his dog and his bicycle. He said: “It’s beautiful here. A couple of days ago I saw someone walking up the hill really quickly. He was a muslim man, and at the top, he was praying, at the top of the hill, facing East. What could be a better place to pray?

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“This was once a spoil heap, but it was regenerated, and now there is a great variety of flora and fauna.”

Tree Trunks that have been placed to help create a barrier are being chopped up on site and taken from the Pit Wood. Picture: NDFP-14-03-20 PitwoodEdlington 11-NMSYTree Trunks that have been placed to help create a barrier are being chopped up on site and taken from the Pit Wood. Picture: NDFP-14-03-20 PitwoodEdlington 11-NMSY
Tree Trunks that have been placed to help create a barrier are being chopped up on site and taken from the Pit Wood. Picture: NDFP-14-03-20 PitwoodEdlington 11-NMSY

But despite their love of the pit wood, they are concerned about how it is being abused by a minority.

There are complaints about people using the car park for drugs.

There have also been worries that the site has been used for ‘dogging’ – outdoor sex involving an audience. Residents say they have seen people walking around with plastic bags that they kneel on.

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Another big concern has been off road motorcyclists and quadbikers riding on the trails and damaging the paths. Fears have also been raised about ‘lamping’, where people hunt deer using lights from four wheel drive vehicles.

The land around the Pond has been churned and destroyed by Motorbikes and Quads. Picture: NDFP-14-03-20 PitwoodEdlington 9-NMSYThe land around the Pond has been churned and destroyed by Motorbikes and Quads. Picture: NDFP-14-03-20 PitwoodEdlington 9-NMSY
The land around the Pond has been churned and destroyed by Motorbikes and Quads. Picture: NDFP-14-03-20 PitwoodEdlington 9-NMSY

Those using the site are particular worried about the bikers and the lampers – because they fear they are causing damage to the park. One top of that, fly tipping is now being raised as a issue.

At one stage, there was a sign in the car park that made it clear that motorbikes were banned. But now the sign is faded away, and residents and park users say it is no longer legible.

Mr Singleton at one stage proposed a mountain biking club for the site, but gave up on the idea because he felt there was too much red tape involved.

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He said: “The main issue is the quad bike and the motorbikes.

“But there are no lights at the Pit Wood, and a bent sign from the road is all that shows people that it is here.

“We need a better sign, and we need a height barrier at the entrace to stop people getting tall vans into the car park. There used to be a height restriction at the entrance, but it was ripped off.

“I think lights would be a good thing, along with some sort of surveillance.”

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Mr McLeod added: “There is only one bin in the car park now. That is because people have ripped them out to get through barriers from the car park.”

Huge logs have been placed around the car park to plug gaps which have been broken into the fence. But park users say they get rolled away, and believe that it is seen as a game by some of the bikers.

“I think some of the quads have turned paths into deep mud,” said Mr Keeton. “It makes it impossible to take a bicycle on there.”

But those who use the woods are determined to make sure it remains an asset for their community.

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Now they are looking at the possibility of setting up Friends of Edlington Pit Wood group.

Ian said: “Probably the best thing for us to do is form a group, a ‘friend's of’ style group”.

He thought that would involve organising litter picking days and doing some repairs to the damaged barriers, and perhaps forestry-type work clearing pathways. He would also be like to organise events to generate money that could be ploughed back into the woods.

He said they would be happy to discuss it with Doncaster Council.

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If anyone is interested in getting involved they should email Ian at [email protected].

‘Committed’

Doncaster Council says it is committed to improving that part of Edlington.

Peter Dale, director of economy and environment, said: “There has been lots of work going on behind the scenes for some time now to produce a comprehensive plan for the area which will help access external funds for improvement works and deal with the issues residents are experiencing.

“We have also been working closely with the police to tackle the reported incidents of nuisance off-road motorcycles, criminal damage and wildlife crime. Residents and users of the park will be consulted on the plan and its priorities shortly. Together with our partners we are committed to improving this part of Edlington.”

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In a statement, South Yorkshire Police said tackling off-road motorcycles was one of its main priorities as a neighbourhood team, and it understood that members of the local community had concerns around this issue.It added: “We know the impact that these motorcycles can have, and the disruption they can cause to our daily lives. We’d like to reassure our community that every report is taken seriously, and we are taking steps to tackle the problem.“This includes regularly deploying the force’s dedicated Off Road Bike team to the area. This specialist team has the capability to follow suspect bikes off road through uneven terrain, such as woodland, with the aim of apprehending them.“Following reports from members of the public, we also carry out visits to addresses suspected of owning an off-road motorcycle to offer advice and guidance around the legalities of possessing such a vehicle, and the consequences of not complying with these laws.

“In order to best tackle the issue long term, however, it’s vital that we continue to hear from you. Please do keep reporting to us, and where possible, send us pictures of bikes in use- this can help us determine when and where they are being ridden.“You can do this by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency. You can also find out who your local neighbourhood team is by visiting https://www.police.uk/south-yorkshire/AB/team/.

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