USERS of Edge End recreation ground are the latest victims of boar damage, after large areas of the playing field were turned over by the animals on Friday night (January 20).

Cllr Tim Gwilliam (Lab. Berry Hill) said: “It’s a complete mess. The trustees are organising a clean-up day with the full support of West Dean Parish Council. At the same time, we’re raising funds to install anti-boar lighting, which we want to try rather than putting fences everywhere.

“It may be that we just have to put aside funding each year to repair the damage.”

“The boar need managing. The boar and the public have been let down by all the authorities – Forestry Commission, the district council, DEFRA and the government. These animals aren’t going away and it’s not their fault that they’re causing a problem as they are just looking for food. We need to do something different and find a middle ground.

“We need the right numbers of boar in the right parts of the forest, and they may even become an asset. They should be treated humanely and kept healthy and safe. We need to clamp down on poaching to stop the forest becoming a killing field. Poachers should be prosecuted, but we currently have 1970s laws for a 2017 issue.

“We need preventive measures in place and we need funds to repair damage to people’s property. It can’t be beyond the wit of the people of the Forest to achieve this and I shall carry on trying to get it in place, initially asking West Dean to ask all other town and parish councils to form a joint committee.”

The clean-up day is planned for Saturday, March 18 and Tim added: “We’re hoping people will bring rollers or tools or just come along to help and we can reseed the grass and get it back to normal.”