Bottle Diggers Move in on Twickenham

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 6th May 2003

After 'bottle digging' problems recently in Canbury Gardens Kingston and along the river in Ham and Petersham, the diggers have now moved in on the disused Mereway allotments in Twickenham where a large pit has appeared - disturbing the nesting birds according to local residents.

(The bottle diggers are looking for antiques and other valuable artefacts among the remains left of old rubbish dumps.)

It appears that the diggers have been alerted by signs from the council saying that the land will be used for housing or for a new secondary school, and fear that the land will soon be built on.

MP Vincent Cable went to see the site over the weekend and said: "The diggers have, I think, misunderstood the planning permission since there has to be a planning enquiry before the council can even think about a land sale. "

"But the digging is, I believe, illegal and is also disturbing "

"the local wildlife. The council will have to decide whether to stop the digging or put it onto an organised basis with proper protection of the environment".