Nearly 4,000 residents in a Nottinghamshire village have signed a petition to ask their council to reconsider boat activity on a beloved lake near Newark. For several months the Saving Wildlife and Nature (SWAN) group have been campaigning to keep boats off Balderton Lake, and have collected 3,795 signatures from residents on a petition asking Balderton Parish Council to reconsider.
Plans previously submitted to the parish council by the YMCA hope to use the lake for watersports, such as kayaking. However, residents feat that any watersports on the lake would disturb local wildlife and cause natural habitats to be damaged or abandoned.
Primary school pupils Arrietty and Jessica, who regularly visit the lake, were asked to present the petition to Councillor Lydia Hurst, the Chairman of Balderton Parish Council. More than 50 residents supported the petition hand-in by singing songs, blowing bubbles and raising their banners outside the Parish Council.
