BBC2's Big Allotment Challenge digs up strain of vegetable growing: Police called as Nottinghamshire villagers lose plot over upkeep of land
- Villagers thrown out of monthly parish council meeting
- Anger as council announced it would take over care of allotments
Allotment keepers are a passionate bunch – passionate about nurturing their fruit and veg, that is.
So when the question of who should oversee allotments came up on the agenda at one parish council meeting, it’s perhaps not a surprise that they saw red.
The ensuing row became so heated that the police had to be called to calm the situation.
The drama in Edwinstowe took place as BBC2 series Big Allotment Challenge with Fern Britton premieres
The drama unfolded ahead of new BBC2 series Big Allotment Challenge, dubbed the gardening world’s answer to the Great British Bake Off, which starts tomorrow.
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The show’s producers have told viewers to expect tension and tantrums in every episode.
More than 20 villagers were thrown out of Edwinstowe Parish Council’s monthly meeting after tempers flared when the council said it would be taking over management of the allotments.
Great British Rake Off: Competitors Shaun and Liz on The Big Allotment Challenge (who were not thrown out of the parish council meeting)
Residents of the Nottinghamshire village branded the council corrupt, believing that it was going to sell or evict tenants from their plots, which the council denies.
After calling the police, chairman Celia Brooks was eventually forced to close the meeting because she was so worried violence was going to break out when residents refused to leave.
Police have now been asked to attend the next two meetings to avoid a repeat of the disruption.
Nottinghamshire Police confirmed they were called out to reports of disruption at the meeting and said they will be speaking to those involved.
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