Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Arson About

Reader Foxy writes:

I feel the local community needs to know what is currently happening in Ramsgate Cemetery allotments - my cabin was burned to the ground and there was another fire during the week. I also had to call the police a second time after spotting someone in the cemetry shooting the wildlife - recent count is 7 parakeets, 3 squirrels and 2 hedgehogs.

Considering the horrendous amount of money spent by Thanet Council on open prison type fencing all over Thanet including the Cecilia Rd allotments I am angry, especially since the vandalism here was minimal until the offending fencing was erected. Not to mention the entire destruction of my sanctuary by arsonists this week.


Sounds like the wild west over there, Foxy. Perhaps, instead of spending all that money on hideous fencing, the council would have been better off hiring a sheriff!

19 comments:

Lucy Mail said...

Shame about the hedgehogs, but those squirrels and parakeets ARE a bloody nuisance.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if they turned out to be responsible for the destruction of property, there.

Peter C said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Peter C said...

Yes, I'm pretty sure I saw a squirrel with a box of matches near the scenic railway a few weeks back..

Anonymous said...

Or maybe Lucy's rabbit has escaped!!! ; )

Anonymous said...

you can eat squirrels i had a tasty squirrel pie in texas once

Anonymous said...

WARNING!! People with a nut allergy should not eat sqirrels!!!!

'MR X'

Anonymous said...

I think this deserves more than sarky comments,some yob has destroyed foxy's sanctuary and someone else is loose with a gun for gods sake..

Anonymous said...

Quite right

Lucy Mail said...

I was wondering how much combustible materials, that squirrels and parakeets detach from trees at an alarming rate, would affect the chance of a fire taking hold on a shed?
I've never measured it, so I couldn't say, but I'd bet someone has.

Hope that didn't come across as TOO sarky.

Anonymous said...

Agree the fencing contirbutes to vandalism as it indicates there is something worth protecting within. Only TDC could install these hidious fences,will be their legacy for future generations. Maybe in the future they will wonder whether we lived in a prison state. Does anyone know the company that supplies them as it would be a good investment at the mo as trade with TDC must be rocketing.

Peter C said...

I actually think the fences look OK where they've bothered to paint them (such as by the allotments near draper's windmill where they're painted dark green).

Anonymous said...

I drove past and noted what i thought was bomb fire at the haven in question.

Before you could view the shed and now you cannot due to the new fence.

I can recall it had been raining so i thought stupid day to burn rubbish.

There is also damage to a cemetery building.

I can understand why the owner is aggrieved as this fence has clearly enabled wanton vanadlism and destruction.

If i catch the miscreant with the air rifle!!!!

On the subject of squirrels and fires...here is a true story

Imagine you are living as a single male soldier with 200 army women.

You are on your way to the Sergeant mess from work when one of the Girls from the mess says you cannot go to the mess as there is a fire 'which side i inquired' "ours" was the response 'unlucky' came my response so went on my merry way to be met with fire crews and the like.

I then observed a Marine mate of mine dispatching [humanely] a squirrel that was very badly injured from jumping from a burning roof which was over there stories high.

I said it wa guilty put a fag in its mouth and propped it up.

When the fire investigation team published there report the squirrel was found guilty. It had crawled into the storage room with a box of matches where it had chewed through most of them when the inevitable happened...it struck lucky and in its frantic efforts to escape it made the fire worse and then met its match by jumping. A Derek and Clive song comes to mind here but Lucy Mails delicate ears are not made for this ditty?

Lucy Mail said...

Well there ya go, then!
Though I don't think that the parakeets should be absolved of any involvement without further investigation.

I'm not so sure that my ears are that delicate, honey. Why don't you test the matter, instead of just making the assumption?

Anonymous said...

Can someone explain to me how a fence enables vandalism? The fence along one footpath at Drapers allotments that was installed some years ago has cut vandalism along that stretch by 80%.

Richard Eastcliff said...

Perhaps TDC fenced the vandals in?

Anonymous said...

Air riffles rarely provide the grace of a swift death.

Anonymous said...

The fencing TDC have put up which for some reason required bringing a firm in from `out west` rather than give the local cowboys a job enables vandalism because:
1. It has gaps in it at each corner which any old sherif could negotiate.
2.It provides an exciting challenge for the bored youth of Ramsgate.

Anonymous said...

Oh! So why do we fence anything then? You will be taking down the fence around your back garden presumably. Thereby avoiding any vandalism that might be done to your property.

Anonymous said...

Umm. How long does it take for a hedgehog with an air riffle wound to die?