Police probe car park damage after football match

Police are investigating allegations an angle grinder was used to cut open gates to free people whose vehicles had been locked in a car park while they watched a children's football match.

Staff from Old Catton Parish Council, on the outskirts of Norwich, shut the car park at 16:00 GMT on Tuesday despite there being several vehicles still parked there.

Some were owned by parents who had turned up to watch their children play football on the neighbouring junior school's playing field.

The council insisted it did the right thing but some people have criticised it, with one local resident saying it ran the village with an "iron fist".

The incident happened on Tuesday at 16:15 GMT when some spectators discovered the gates at the Old Catton Recreation Ground car park were locked.

The council alleges someone used an angle grinder to cut through a lock to allow vehicles to leave. Another complaint is that a car damaged a hedge after manoeuvring to avoid security bollards.

It has sent CCTV footage of the incident to the police. The car park was closed on Wednesday while crime scene investigators were at the scene.

In a statement, the council said the "actions of those involved is completely unacceptable".

"The lengths individuals were prepared to go to circumvent security measures are particularly concerning. Rather than accept responsibility for their own parking arrangements, those involved chose to cause significant damage to public property."

Norfolk Police said it had received reports of criminal damage.

The car park is open later in the summer, but since October the closing time has got earlier, and it changed to 16:00 on 9 November.

People affected have told the council they tried to contact it to get the gates reopened.

Jonathan Olds, 48, who lives near the car park, described relations between the council and villagers as "fractious".

"It would have been easy to see people in the park still playing. It is irresponsible. What if emergency access was needed?" he said.

Elaine, 55, said: "It is really quite shocking. I feel really bad for all the people it happened to. it must have been extremely frustrating."

Two parish councillors inspecting the gate on Thursday morning and the clerk did not wish to comment.

Old Catton Junior School also declined to comment.

Do you have a story suggestion for Norfolk? Contact us below.

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.