BREAKING NEWS: Police inundated with hundreds of complaints over snowball fights
Police have revealed they received more than 200 calls over the weekend from members of the public complaining about youths throwing snowballs.
Following the severe weather on Saturday evening, Northamptonshire Police’s Control Room experienced extremely high call volumes with nearly 500 emergency 999 calls alone.
The control room also received a high volume of calls in relation to people throwing snowballs.
A total of 63 snowballing incidents were reported on Saturday with a further 158 reported on Sunday.
A police spokesperson said: “We would advise people to only ring us in relation to snowballing if it seems the incident can only be dealt with by the police. These include incidents that are examples of serious antisocial behaviour, those that involve vulnerable people or pose serious danger to traffic.”
Meanwhile, waste and recycling collection crews set off as normal in Northampton this morning but while main roads are largely clear of snow and ice, snow and ice remains in side streets.
While Northampton Borough Council’s contractor Enterprise have pledged to do their best to collect all the waste and recycling out today, they have warned that they may find it difficult to access some side roads with their collection vehicles, which rely on thawing to clear them from snow and ice.
If the waste collection vehicles miss any streets because of the road conditions, people are asked to:
· Leave any black bins and black sacks out, and they will be collected as soon as possible
· Take your brown bin back inside if it is not collected and put it out on your next scheduled garden waste collection day
· Take recycling and food waste back in and it will be collected on your next scheduled collection day in a week’s time
· There is not expected to be any disruption to the clinical waste collection service but if it is missed, it will be collected the next day
Councillor John Caswell, Northampton Borough Council Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “The collection crews will do their best to reach every street where it is safe for them to do so, and they will be monitoring the road conditions throughout the day but if they miss your street, please leave your rubbish out and take your recycling back in. If the weather causes any delays, they’ll catch up as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, with thawing snow turning to ice as temperatures plunge below freezing, gritting crews have been busy treating roads across the county.
With a road surface minimum of -2.5 C forecast, crews treated the precautionary network at 7pm on Sunday.
The Snow Desk, a round-the-clock staffed control hub, has been in operation since 1pm on Saturday, prior to when the first falls were forecast at 3pm.
The precautionary network was treated at 2pm on Saturday with more treatments of gritting salt at 6pm and 9pm. Snow ploughs were fitted to the gritting trucks and used as necessary.
Further gritting runs were also carried out on Sunday at 12.30am and 4.30am, so in total five pre and past treatments were carried out in little over 12 hours.
Footpaths in town centres and areas of high footfall also received a precautionary gritting on Saturday afternoon before the snow fell.
In addition areas which are being piloted under the pioneering new initiative with the NHS and Northamptonshire Probation Trust also received treatment.
This morning from 9am, secondary routes across the county were receiving a treatment of gritting salt.
A spokesman for Northamptonshire County Council said: “Footways in town centres will today be receiving a further application of grit, while self-help grit bins in the county will be replenished as necessary and as staff resources permit.
“Forecasts are suggesting that temperatures could drop to -4C tonight, with early predictions for the following night showing a minimum of -6.5C which means that icy conditions will be the main hazard and the public are asked to take extra care and allow more time for their journey.”
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Weather for Northampton
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
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Comments
There are 20 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
Pete Clark
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 08:29 AM...And I'll bet that every single person that complained to the police about kids throwing snowballs, threw snowballs when they were kids. Come on people. Lighten up
Pete Brown
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:49 AMCor blimey whats happened to happiness?? If a youth throws a snowball at me i throw two back, stop being so miserable have some fun you're a longtime dead.
Tony Clarke
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 07:56 AMWag the dog, iI was getting around town all day yesterday, without a problem, we had a minor fall of snow,mhardly a big event,as you say most of the snow had turned to slush by Monday morning, and if the roads were unsaltedgritted then who's fault is that? I am just fed up of NBC and enterprise using every excuse in the book to explain away their poor service, btw the censored post belw was simply me trying to tell Steve Riches tat the DDC contract and the NBC one are one and the same. Why it was blocked together witha later post is beyond me
Removed by moderator
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 11:52 PMSnowball fights??
WagTheDog
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 11:43 PMTony Clarke: You need to get out and about around this town and see the conditions for yourself instead of sitting looking out of your window and taking other peoples word for it. Up on Southfields, the sun did not shine; in fact it was foggy for most of the day. And the roads up here are four inches deep in (unsalted) slush. Bin collection tomorrow (Tuesday), and believe me, Enterprise don't stand a chance in h--l of getting around this estate.
mojo
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 05:32 PMThe sun wasn't shining in leafy Duston where do you guys live?
Tony Clarke
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 04:38 PMPending Moderation
Adams RANT
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 04:06 PMPushkin do you live in Southfield Road the service is GREAT
Finker
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 04:00 PMGood to see how the private sector does things.
pushkin
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 03:44 PMWell, I thing they do a good job and the collections and the recyling centres are much better since the new contract. A big thank you to everyone involved
SteveRiches
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 03:42 PMDaventry District Council is no better than NBC re, changes...I'd just got used to the Thursday collections but they never turn up on that day now. For the last few weeks it all seems random, I've no idea what's happening. You can add me to the list that contains old and grumpy customers.
pushkin
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 03:40 PMWell, I thing they do a good job and the collections and the recyling centres are much better since the new contract. A big thank you to everyone involved.
jenny jane
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 03:08 PMIts not the guysgirls choice to not come out....just remember that please....they are human beings who do not deserve all the backlash they get.. The sun is shining the snow is melting so lets hope service will be resumed tomorrow
Adams RANT
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 02:04 PMI think people are being a little unfair, I have been told that the service is first class in Southfield Road, hang on isnât that were the Portfolio Holder for Environment lives â¦
Cely
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 01:06 PMIt will not make any difference to the people in Newnham Rd, they put their rubbish and recycling out on a Monday but never know when Enterprise will be bothered to turn up to collect it.
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