Thieves target river's watercress

Offenders make off with bin bags full, says Town and Manor of Hungerford

TRUSTEES of the Town and Manor of Hungerford have appealed for local people to be their eyes and ears to help catch commercial watercress thieves.

In the latest incident the thieves made off with six large, black plastic bags of watercress from the River Dun.

Spokesman for the Town and Manor of Hungerford, Robert James, said the incident involved two Oriental males in their 30s and a woman aged around 60.

On Monday, August 15, they parked their vehicle on the verge of Bath Road at Hopgrass between 1pm and 3pm.

Mr James said: “This was reported to me at 3pm. I drove to apprehend them and, on my way, picked up two police officers but by the time we had got there, the watercress harvesters had disappeared. We have had this problem before.

“The commoners of the Town and Manor of Hungerford have the ancient right to gather watercress for their own use but it is illegal for others to remove any plants from the Site of Special Scientific Interest.”

Mr James appealed for residents to keep an eye out for the harvesters and added: “Please get a vehicle number, colour and make. Also the numbers of men or women and descriptions where possible. Please consider taking a pencil and notepaper to get the details recorded.”

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, in an exception to the Theft Act, states that in the case of mushrooms or plants growing wild on land, a person may take away foliage, fruit or parts of the plant without committing an offence - unless it is done with the intention of selling them, or for other reward.

Nature reserves are excepted, however.

West Berkshire Council allows foraging, within reason, on its own land but discourages commercial picking.

Council spokesman Keith Ulyatt said: “In the true spirit of the countryside, anyone is free to come and pick blackberries, apples and so on from any council-owned countryside land.”