Council party-poopers tear down Ayrshire kids’ bonfire

Nov 6 2009 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

Council party-poopers tear down kids’ bonfire

DISTRAUGHT kids found their bonfire destroyed – by South Ayrshire Council.

The children had been hoarding material to burn ahead of their annual display on Guy Fawkes Night.

But they came home from school to find council trucks had flattened their creation.

Furious parents, who stage the bonfire in Prestwick’s Marchburn area every year, say the move came without warning.

One parent said: “It’s unbelievable that the council could do a thing like this.

“The children have been gathering things to put on the bonfire for more than five weeks and spent ages working on it.

“They were all so excited and then the council trucks come along while they’re at school and tear it down after all that effort.

“I don’t see why they’d do such a thing – we’ve been running the bonfire for five years and it’s overseen safely by adults.

“The council don’t put anything on for the people of Prestwick on bonfire night, so we do our own thing here, and they still come along to ruin it.

“We rope everything off and take everyone’s safety very seriously.”

The parents insist safety is always their number one concern and admit they’re baffled by the opposition.

A spokesman from Ayr fire station confirmed that although they don’t encourage unofficial bonfires, no request was issued to the council to tear down the Marchburn bonfire.

But a spokesperson for South Ayrshire Council said: “Unofficial bonfires pose a significant risk of personal injury and damage to property.

“Once a risk comes to our attention, it is our responsibility to deal with it and we note that no formal approval has been given for a bonfire on this site, which is owned by the council.

“The council’s policy is based on sound health and safety procedures and is consistent with the public guidance of emergency services.

“In the interests of fully and properly safeguarding the public and property and in order to ensure that families and individuals have a fun filled evening, we would recommend that people attend a controlled, organised event.”