'Sex, dog attacks and drug dealing' - Uffmoor Wood stays closed

Uffmoor Wood, near Halesowen, was closed by The Woodland Trust as a ‘last resort’ in May due to dog attacks, sexual activity and drug dealing.

But a Freedom of Information request submitted by a Facebook campaign group set up in the wake of the closure, has revealed that 28 incidents have been reported to police since 2012.

However, bosses at the trust say that the site is still deemed as being unsafe, with reports continuing to be received about illegal activities.

A spokesperson for The Friends Of Uffmoor Woods said: “Many people are still extremely angered by the closure of the site and mostly through the fact that the communication has been appalling.

“People also believe that a lot of the reports about the goings-on in the site have been fabricated, because users have been walking there for many years and never witnessed anything that has been reported, and feel the FOI request shows that.

“We are gutted everyday that our happy place is out of bounds – still don’t agree with it and want it reopened.”

Twenty-one incidents were reported to West Mercia Police and seven to West Midlands Police. They included loitering and sexual activity.

However, bosses at the trust say the site will remain closed for now.

Hollie Anderson, spokesperson for The Woodland Trust, said: “We are a private landowner and charity so people report these incidents in different ways.

“But what is not indicated through these figures is the severity of the incidents we are facing, sometimes on a daily basis, such as dogging and drug-dealing. It is a safety issue and we want to be confident with the measures we put in place before we reopen.

“We are trying our best to communicate with the group and want to work with them the best we can.” She continued: “We have found that people are still trespassing, despite the signs. It appears that they are climbing over fences and gates that are locked.

“We have had reports from local people who have been keeping an eye out and site staff. The police forces declined to comment on the figures.

Speaking at the time the woodland was closed off, West Mercia Police Chief Inspector Sharron Cannings said: “Officers have been working closely with the Woodland Trust following a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour at Uffmoor Wood.

“Officers have been regularly visiting the site on patrol.

“The ongoing incidents have unfortunately resulted in the Woodland Trust taking action to restrict access to the public space.

“We appreciate that this is a rare occurrence and we will continue to work closely with the Woodland Trust to ensure the safety of the area.”