Cheddington villagers fume over bonfires

Upset Cheddington residents have seen their homes invaded by chocking smoky fumes, as bonfire lighters blight the village.
Bonfire smoke is thick and heavy. Have you got any pictures of the smoke in Cheddington? Send them to news@lbobserver.co.uk. (Credit: Tim Wilson; image of Cradge Bank, Midlands).Bonfire smoke is thick and heavy. Have you got any pictures of the smoke in Cheddington? Send them to news@lbobserver.co.uk. (Credit: Tim Wilson; image of Cradge Bank, Midlands).
Bonfire smoke is thick and heavy. Have you got any pictures of the smoke in Cheddington? Send them to [email protected]. (Credit: Tim Wilson; image of Cradge Bank, Midlands).

In the past week residents have been repeatedly suffering from fumes caused by unknown “culprits” lighting fires, with villagers “battening down their hatches” in a bid to stop the acrid fumes invading their homes.

One resident said: “These people have no consideration - why can’t they just take their rubbish to the tip?

“My entire house stinks and I have had to shut all the windows and doors.

“I hope the Parish Council do something about this.

“We don’t know who these people are or where exactly they are lighting the fires!”

Cllr Christopher Poll, of Aylesbury Vale District Council and Cheddington Parish Council, said: “I want to get the message out there that I don’t think this is acceptable.

“Even with the doors and windows shut people are left with the smell of acrid fumes in their house.

“I just can’t say why people have to have bonfires like this.

“There is a good tip fairly locally or you can ask the council and we can help arrange for someone to come and take waste away.

“These days even if it’s just affecting people’s washing, as far as I’m concerned it’s anti-social!

“Only yesterday morning (Tuesday, March 11) I emailed Sir Beville Stainer, a cabinet member for Environmental Health at Aylesbury Vale District Council, and he replied pretty quickly.

“He said that the behaviour that has been described to him is unacceptable.

“The culprits need to be caught in the act, but it is tricky because people are crafty and they are holding their bonfires during the evenings and weekends.

“Environmental Health will be discussing how to proceed and I am also raising it in three weeks time at the next parish council meeting - if it was up to me I would ban bonfires!”

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