A video filmed at Hampstead Heath over the Bank Holiday weekend has triggered fury – and now swimmers are being warned they could be fined or arrested.
Swimmers who flout rules at Hampstead Heath during the May heatwave have been warned they could be fined or arrested. Footage from the Bank Holiday Weekend showed Londoners diving into wildlife ponds in the London beauty spot, posing a threat to swans and ducks during nesting season.
The Heath has a series of designated swimming ponds, but long queues amid 35C heat led to many cooling off in banned areas. One video showed a swimmer almost climb on top of a swan’s nest before someone shouted at her to stop. Wildlife group ‘Swans of Hampstead Heath’ said this is the first time in years that swans have nested in the ponds, raising concerns about the safety of cygnets born just 13 days ago.
The City of London Corporation – which manages the park – has labelled the conduct of some swimmers as “utterly appalling”. “Swimming is only permitted in the Mixed, Ladies’ and Men’s Ponds for safety reasons,” Alderman Gregory Jones KC said.
“Entering other non-lifeguarded water bodies is extremely dangerous, against our byelaws, and causes significant harm to wildlife habitats. We always seek to engage with visitors first, but the Constabulary will take enforcement action where necessary, including issuing fines or making arrests.”
It comes as a fight at Parliament Hill Lido on bank holiday Monday forced the popular outdoor pool, on Hampstead Heath, to close early during a 33.5C heatwave. A 15-year-old boy and a man in his 40s suffered minor injuries, and witnesses claimed one person was struck with a vodka bottle.
Meanwhile, Swans of Hampstead Heath has claimed The City of London Corporation has been either “unwilling or unable” to provide enough staff to properly manage the non-swimming ponds. Wildlife groups are calling on the body to issue more fines to people who break the rules to turn the tide against these areas increasingly being treated like beach destinations.
“Large numbers of people entering shallow water damages sensitive aquatic habitat, disturbs nesting wildlife, churns up sediment, and impacts water quality in an already fragile ecosystem,” a spokesperson said. “By failing to properly protect these spaces, they [City of London Corporation] are allowing the Heath to become overwhelmed, making it increasingly difficult for regular visitors to enjoy one of London’s most important urban wild spaces.
“People travel from all over London to party in this pond with little regard for its wildlife. The Heath should not have to lose its nature to accommodate people unwilling to respect it.”
London’s heatwave is expected to continue throughout the next few days with highs on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of 27C, while it will be particularly hot on Thursday as the mercury soars to 32C. The weather will change on Sunday as temperatures drop to 22C, heralding a period of unsettled and cooler weather.
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