Parking chaos blamed for pregnant sheep's death

A farmer who was blocked from saving a pregnant ewe by illegally-parked cars near a popular beauty spot has said the situation has become "ridiculous".

Angela Crowther, who farms by Dovestone Reservoir in Saddleworth, Oldham, could not access the fields where her sheep were lambing on Easter Sunday due to cars left strewn across the entrance.

She said she discovered one of her flock had died the next day and called on local authorities to do more to tackle the issue.

Oldham Council, which runs a car park by the reservoir, has been contacted for comment.

Ms Crowther said the reservoir was becoming increasingly busy during school holidays and on sunny weekends, with cars regularly spilling out of the designated car park.

She said she "couldn't get anywhere near" her fields and had to give up trying until the next day.

"Cars were parked right outside the gate and all the way down the road," she said.

"There's too many people and only a tiny car park, so people are bound to park where they can."

Security guards and a traffic warden are employed by the council to manage the situation, but Ms Crowther said a fine would not have solved her problems of gaining access.

She said: "It happens every weekend, as soon as the sun comes out we're blocked out of our own fields, it's just ridiculous.

"We have people walking through leaving gates open, letting sheep out, we had lambs run over, lambs stolen, it's shocking, nearly every weekend now through till the summer, it'll be the same."

The farmer has called on Oldham Council, United Utilities and the RSPB to find a bigger car park for the area.

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