‘Appalling’ scenes at Hampstead Heath pond slammed
City of London bosses have criticized the “utterly appalling” behavior of swimmers flocking to the Hampstead Heath pond, which is home to newly hatched cygnets.
Councilor Gregory Jones said paddling on ponds without a lifeguard “causes serious damage to wildlife habitat” and is dangerous.
Social media footage showed people paddling near swans on the pond over the bank holiday weekend, while warning people keen to take a dip that police “will take enforcement action, including fines or arrests where necessary”.
It was revealed after a campaigner posted on social media saying the Swans of Hampstead Heath non-swimming ponds were “increasingly being considered as beach destinations”.
‘Incredibly difficult’
They said large numbers of people entering shallow ponds were damaging habitats and disturbing wildlife that nested among them. swans They successfully built a nest on the pond “for the first time in years.”
Hampstead Heath Swans added that the pond is also home to some newborn ducklings and chicks.
They warned: “Confining these birds to a small section at the back of the pond makes it incredibly difficult for them to access the natural food they need to survive.”
Jones said: “The recent behavior of some visitors swimming in ponds without lifeguards is absolutely appalling.” He added that for safety reasons, swimming is only allowed in the Mixed, Ladies and Men’s Pools.
An eyewitness who saw the crowds on bank holiday Monday, when temperatures in London reached 34.8 degrees, told the BBC that “huge signs saying no swimming were being ignored”.
A dog is also seen in the pond in the images published on social media. Under Hampstead Heath regulations, dogs are prohibited from entering the water.
The City of London Corporation said the heath was patrolled by Hampstead Heath Constabulary, which enforced the regulations.
He added that managing the popular open space was “about finding a balance between visitor enjoyment and the preservation of the heathland”.
Londoners are urged to call 999 only in life-threatening emergencies. heat wave Tuesday saw call handlers handling more than 8,100 calls; These levels were last seen during the peak of the Covid outbreak.
London Ambulance Service’s assistant paramedic Alison Blakely said: “This was our sixth busiest day ever and we saw a record number of calls from 2pm until midnight.”
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