COUNCILLORS have been quick to say racism has no place in the town following a reported incident at The Basins Nature Reserve.

Members of Wellington Town Council were left hugely saddened, shocked and angered when they heard on Monday (September 1) that volunteers at The Basins have been subjected to verbal abuse.

It comes at a time when people up and down the country are hanging up St George’s and Union flags as a sign of “national pride and patriotism” and also to symbolise growing frustration and anger at the government’s apparent failure to sort out ongoing immigration problems.

But Steve Saunders, a member of the volunteer group at The Basins, who spoke during public comment at the council meeting, said things had gone too far.

“The volunteers at The Basins were shocked when we turned up to find the duck platform had been vandalised with a wooden structure screwed to it,” he said. “Apparently it had had a Union flag attached to it, but someone had removed it.

“We took down the structure, but were soon confronted by an angry man who claimed to have put the flag up. He began shouting threatening, foul mouthed and racist abuse.”

The following day a scaffold structure was reportedly back up and flying the flag of St George.

“Unbelievably the structure had been wrapped in barbed wire,” he said.

He added recent events had made people feel as if they “no longer liked to visit the area as they felt unsafe and intimidated.”

Councillors said they were shocked and disappointed.

The town clerk Dave Farrow said he would talk further with Sgt Jon O’Connor about the issues.

While flying a flag is not a criminal offence, Sgt O’Connor said: “If there is anything racist, foul language, threatening behaviour or criminal damage then please let us know and we will deal with it.”