Shocking moment large family is caught having barbecue at Calderdale nature reserve

Officers from the Calderdale Council's Community Safety and Resilience Team attended Ogden Water after reports of a fire.

When they arrived they found a large family having a barbecue in the woodland area and dealt with them accordingly.

The nature reserve has also hit out against people littering the beauty spot with many bins overflowing with rubbish.

Posting on its Facebook Page a volunteer at the nature reserve said: "I have never, in over 20 years of volunteering and working at Ogden seen such behaviour and disregard for the beauty of the site.

"Normally I like to update you all on the good things that go on, the work the volunteers do, the wildlife, the beauty of the place, but today has left me dumbfounded by what I came across.

"The amount of rubbish and litter was unbelievable, I was having to stop every 2-3 metres on the reservoir path to pick up sweet wrappers, cans, cups, tissues, face masks, gloves, crisp packets.

"In the car parks there was even worse with barbecues (not allowed) take-aways, cans, bottles, nappies and human waste.

"I cannot understand with over 20 bins on the site how people cannot put rubbish in them, each bench or picnic table had litter thrown on the floor by it - is this what people want to come to see, there have been plenty of pictures recently and lots of comments about "Wonderful Ogden" but this is the flip side. .

"Not only is there the rubbish but the destruction of the protective layer around the reservoir that is there for your safety, just so people can get to the waterside (which they are not allowed to do).

"The general disregard for the rules and common sense that has gripped the nation due to suddenly being let out of their house for a little bit of freedom, people think they can do what they like and get away with it.

"We have people and families down by the water, people throwing stones at the duck, people cycling, people letting their dogs chase the ducks or not bothering to pick up their poo. Why?

"We will be speaking to Yorkshire Water about the issue here and suggesting that perhaps the opening came too soon.

"I realise it is only a minority who are spoiling it and we have had fantastic responses from our Safety Wardens and the police who will continue to patrol.

"Almost everyone I spoke to this morning thought the site was taking a battering and has never seen such behaviour on site from people, so to those of you who do love Ogden and appreciate the site and what we try to do, THANK YOU.

"For those who just see it as a place to abuse, ignore the rules and generally cause problems, please stay away, or better still learn to love the place and stick to the rules and advice we give."