Deer cause chaos at allotment site after invading veggie patches
Allotment holders Roger Claxton, left, and John King, fed up with the muntjac at the Bush Road Allotments in Hellesdon, where the deer are damaging crops - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2022
Allotment holders have been left aghast by muntjacs dashing through their plots and munching on their veg after trees were felled to make way for new homes.
The small deer have found a new place to live at the Bush Road allotments in Hellesdon after relocating from woodland chopped down to accommodate the former Royal Norwich Golf Course development.
Allotment holders had contacted the parish council over the issue to see if the muntjacs could be culled due to the level of disruption caused.
But the parish council told them this would not be considered appropriate as it would only be a "temporary solution".
Damaged Swiss chard crops and hoof prints, where muntjac have nibbled the plants, at the Bush Road Allotments in Hellesdon. - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2022
Mark Vincent, chairman of the Hellesdon Allotment Holders Association, said his apple trees, peas and broad beans have all been destroyed.
He said: "They have been eating and damaging people's plots. We have had enough and these days the deer are classed as vermin.
"It is only a matter of time before they hurt someone. I hate to say it but if they knock a child over it could cause some serious damage. They are beefy and breed all year round."
Overgrown areas of the Bush Road Allotments in Hellesdon, where it is believed the muntjac, who are damaging crops, are living. - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2022
Muntjacs have been killed in Cromer Road and Middleton's Lane since the golf course development he added.
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Roger Claxton, 80, has been an allotment holder since 2014 and said he has never known anything like the chaos caused by the animals.
Allotment holders Roger Claxton, left, and John King, fed up with the muntjac at the Bush Road Allotments in Hellesdon, where the deer are damaging crops. - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2022
He said: "We are at a bit of a stalemate and asked if we could get a professional person in to cull them.
"They are fast and it's so frightening. You have to see it to believe it.
A muntjac deer - Credit: Susan Oldfield/newzulu.com
"It's now their home and they will not want to leave as there are easy pickings for them. We do not know what to do."
It is understood the parish council leases the allotments from a private owner.
Damaged Swiss chard crops where muntjac have nibbled the plants at the Bush Road Allotments in Hellesdon. - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2022
Temporary parish clerk, Russell Reeve, said: "We are looking at ways of dealing with that problem with the allotment holders at the present time.
"It is likely it will be a culmination of netting and other measures but it is quite difficult to control them as the allotments are on a rural land boundary and it is difficult to keep them out of the site."
Overgrown areas of the Bush Road allotments in Hellesdon, where it is believed the muntjac, who are damaging crops, are living - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2022
Damaged Swiss chard crops where muntjac have nibbled the plants, at the Bush Road allotments in Hellesdon - Credit: DENISE BRADLEY/Archant2022
