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FISHING enthusiasts in Haverhill fear a popular pond in the town could be
filled in unless constant vandalism attacks on it can be stopped.

Newt Pond, at Castle Playing Field, is the only place in the town where children can fish for free, with only those over 12 needing a rod licence.

Recently 12-year-old Warren Walford caught a 9.Slb carp in the pond and was presented with a small medal by Debbie Rowe of Haverhill Angling Club.

Barbara Walford, 55, his grandmother, said Warren came from a family of fishermen, following his father Ivan and grandfather Wally. She feared that the popular fishing spot, where many adults like to sit and watch, could be lost for good unless the vandalism stops.

She said: “It is in a terrible state, they start fires and take polystyrene from the building sites and break it up on the pond, which kills the fish. Some of those that cause the damage are fishing in it during the day, then they camp out there and cause all this damage at night.

“As fast as the mess is cleared up it happens again. I think the council will get fed up and just fill it in. There are plenty of fish in there and lots of kids like Warren who fish in it properly, but the minority are spoiling it for everyone.”

Debbie Rowe said a lot of fish had been killed by the polystyrene and that the pond would be greatly missed by the youngsters if it did go.

“They use polystyrene for floating on the pond, but one boy has been ill through it. They don’t realise that there is a rat problem and the diseases they carry are in the water. The traps just get thrown into the pond,” Ms Rowe said.

Cohn Takes, St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Park Ranger for Haverhill, said he did not believe filling the pond in had been seriously considered so far, but there had been great problems with vandalism.

He said: “It is an absolute nightmare and the worst damage we get in the whole of Haverhill. They chop down lumps of trees and start fires and take materials from the building sites nearby.

“You can clear it up, but almost immediately it is just as bad again. We picked up 10 bin bags full of rubbish on Friday. then another six after the weekend. There is a limit to how much time and resources you can spend on one site,” Mr Takes said.

CAPTION: Newt Pond ... vandalism and rubbish, above, are a common site for anglers.