Village fete signs removed in case somebody bumps into them

Villagers say a council official removed a sign for their annual fête in case someone bumped into it in the dark. Organisers of the event, at Blagdon Hill, near Taunton in Somerset say it is a case of “health and safety bureaucracy gone mad”, and the sign, similar to an estate agent’s board, was causing no harm to anyone. Somerset County Council said the sign was both an obstruction and a distraction to drivers in its original location which is why it was removed.

But Duncan Meikle, vice-chairman of Pitminster and Angersleigh playing field committee, for which the fête raises funds said: “The sign was on the grass in front of a tree. You would have had to bump into the tree as well. Is that an obstruction?” The village has no street lights which locals say is one of the charms of country life. A highways official is said to have taken down one other sign. Both the placards, which cost £20 each, were on grass opposite the playing field.



The fête, on May 26, raises funds to run the playing field which has a football pitch, a cricket pitch, tennis court, children’s play area and pavilion but has no regular income from district or county councils. The event generates up to £4,000. Rosemary Hannam, chairman of the playing field committee, said: “I was told there was a danger that someone might bump into the signs in the dark. I suggested they might put the priorities into cutting the grass verges which affect visibility for people coming to and from the fête but I was told that because of budget cuts this was not possible.”

Mr Meikle was so angry he wrote to the leader of Somerset County Council to express his disgust. “I am incensed, the playing field committee is incensed, the local parishioners are incensed. They are very effective and we usually enjoy an attendance of around 1,000.” In a statement the council said: “We did recently remove one sign from a verge where it had been placed without any consultation with us and was not in an ideal position. We are returning the sign and have spoken to one of the organisers to suggest another location for it.”