Rye Observer Comment

It is hard to feel sympathy for the residents of Old Brickyard.

The Rye Observer reported their concerns, explicitly voiced at a highly charged council meeting.

Now, after an angry response from Valley Park residents, the Old Brickyard protesters seem to be back-pedalling down their rural lane at a furious speed.

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The Observer has been accused of inflaming this issue, yet an accurate article reported the words of Brickyard residents themselves, spoken at the meeting or contained in a two page document they put together outlining their specific concerns and laying the blame firmly at the door of Valley Park.

In this document they said: “There have been several instances of young people walking to and from the estate being abusive to residents” and “Children from Valley Park have been caught throwing sticks, earth and stones at the windows and doors of our houses.”

Residents spokesman Andy Wood wrote: “As predicted Valley Park is having an often negative impact on Old Brickyard”

Either these concerns are valid or not, and if not then why write them down and turn up en-masse at a council meeting?

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As a newspaper we will always have the courage to report on issues and it would be good to see others having the courage of their convictions rather than trying to hide and blaming it on “sensational” reports.

Reporting on the murder trial of the Camber mother accused of killing her three year old daughter, what seems so shocking is how what seemed a perfectly normal day for little Lucy could end up with her being pronounced dead.

As you can read in our time-line it was the sort of day common to thousands of families up and down the country.

The trail continues and you can follow it online and in next Friday’s Rye Observer.