Demand for action on brook
Frustrated residents in a Staffordshire village have demanded action be taken over a neglected brook which they say is letting the area down. Frustrated residents in a Staffordshire village have demanded action be taken over a neglected brook which they say is letting the area down. People living in Newbury Close, Great Wyrley, say they are sick of being "fobbed off" by Severn Trent Water, which is responsible for Wyrley Brook, and are calling for a clean-up. They say the once picturesque water course is becoming an eyesore due to litter, loose boulders causing dams to form, and a general lack of maintenance. Anthea Staples, who lives in the close and is vice chair of governors at nearby Moat Hall Primary School, said: "It really is important that something is done about this before it starts to go even more downhill and people start to vandalise it. "Once the downhill slope starts, where does it stop? This could be a lovely facility for local people. "We have many elderly people who live locally in bungalows and it is close enough for them to walk to and enjoy, but it is in no fit state at the moment." Read the full story in the Express & Star.
Frustrated residents in a Staffordshire village have demanded action be taken over a neglected brook which they say is letting the area down.
People living in Newbury Close, Great Wyrley, say they are sick of being "fobbed off" by Severn Trent Water, which is responsible for Wyrley Brook, and are calling for a clean-up. They say the once picturesque water course is becoming an eyesore due to litter, loose boulders causing dams to form, and a general lack of maintenance.
Anthea Staples, who lives in the close and is vice chair of governors at nearby Moat Hall Primary School, said: "It really is important that something is done about this before it starts to go even more downhill and people start to vandalise it.
"Once the downhill slope starts, where does it stop? This could be a lovely facility for local people.
"We have many elderly people who live locally in bungalows and it is close enough for them to walk to and enjoy, but it is in no fit state at the moment."
Last year the brook burst its banks and flooded neighbouring bungalows.
Resident Keith Wiggin said: "After the flooding Severn Trent came out and removed all the grime from the bottom but they just dumped it at the side and left it there for over 24 hours. It stank to high heaven and attracted flies."There are cans, bottles and crisp packets clogging it up and there's been an empty trolley floating around for about two months."
Great Wyrley county councillor Janet Johnson has taken on the residents' concerns. She said: "t should never have got into this state in the first place."
A Severn Trent spokesman said: "Severn Trent Water have been responsible for Wyrley Brook since 2000. We are aware there are continuing problems with rubbish being thrown into the brook, items such as furniture, glass bottles and general waste that should not be left here.
"While Severn Trent appreciate that there are problems with the brook we are looking into ways in which it can be maintained better.
"The brook is something we have people looking into and investigating ways that we can solve the issue."
