Cllr Roy Gerstner – Community Activist

Dear Roy,

Officers have been out on rural patrols this weekend speaking to farmers, landowners and the community.

In Witchford the Rural Crime Action Team responded to reports of hare coursing in the area of Grunty Fen.

They pursued a Subaru suspected to be involved in hare coursing. The driver and the dog made off and despite using the drone and extensive searches, they were unable to locate them on this occasion.

Their vehicle has been seized along with a thermal scope inside for further enquiries

Continue to report incidents to us. If it’s in progress call 999 otherwise call 101

We would just like to remind you that we will be holding a police surgery at Peel House in Queen Street, Whittlesey, tomorrow (3rd February) between 10am and 12pm.

This event gives you the opportunity to raise your concerns to us and learn about the work we have been doing in your area.

If you are unable to make it on this occasion, we will be holding another police surgery between 10am and 12pm at Peel House in Queen Street, Whittlesey, on Saturday, 22 February.

Alternatively, you can let us know about your concerns here.

At FDC’s Cabinet meeting held on the 27th January – which you can view by Clicking Here
Fast forward to around 21 minutes into the meeting – where FDC Leader Cllr Boden gives update on the Leisure Centres – and Station Road Recreation Ground.

“It maybe not be appropriate and given the timescales we are talking about, given the legal restrictions there are on the recreation ground – given the Charity Commission to get their agreement to utilise funds from the recreation ground in order to provide capital for the rebuilding where necessary of the neighbouring leisure centre – It now looks now that it is not a feasible way of moving forward as far as finances are concerned.”

So there we have it – lots of good and not so good input and lobbying from the public, some Councillors working behind the scenes like myself who wasn’t kept in the loop….

It is my understanding that the land was gifted by Mr Bundy – who had a small brickworks further along Sation Road – The Bundy Pit is still in situ – now a fishing lake.
There would I imagine been legal protections put in place…..
Then there are the concerns and issues around the shortfall in public open spaces.

Hopefully this latest news puts an end to it being considered as an asset to be sold.
As far as play equipement being re-installed well thats another matter.

Dear Roy,

Reuniting two brothers was just one of the jobs our response officers got to do last week.

A worried man had spent all morning and early afternoon looking for his brother, only to call us when he couldn’t think what else to do last Thursday. He called police just before 1.30pm concerned for his sibling, who is in his 70s and has dementia.

The man’s health had been declining in recent weeks and when his brother came to visit him at his home in Hartford, near Huntingdon, the man was nowhere to be found and had left his phone behind. The elderly man had recently been going for walks but then getting lost.

Officers searched the area, known locations and former addresses he was known to visit due to his symptoms – but could find no trace of the man. However when officers were speaking to the man’s brother, he received a very important phone call.

A landlady of one of the man’s favourite pubs, which had already been checked by his brother and police earlier that day, said the missing man had just walked into the venue.

Thank you to that landlady, who already knew the man’s health had been declining and knew exactly who to call. Her kindness and compassion to make sure the man was safe was lovely to see.

Officers attended the pub where they found the missing man, while other officers gave his brother a lift to meet him and reunite the pair.

The man’s brother already had steps in place to help find him if he went missing, but we also let him know about the Herbert Protocol. Have you heard of it? It’s a scheme we support that can help find people with dementia if they go missing.

It encourages family and friends to keep a document that will help officers in the event a loved one goes missing by collating key pieces of information, such as a physical description, familiar places, health details and an up-to-date photo.

For more information or to download a Herbert Protocol form,

visit our dedicated web page.

Please feel free to share the word about this important scheme.

North Bank road alongside River Nene.

I have made many comments about the vandalism we suffer here in Whittlesey be it setting fire to new picnic-benches, vandalising the Station Road Rec Ground – Garden of Rest + many other area’s
Today saw the re-installation of one of the picnic benches, some parts retrieved from the Bower River and others from parts recovered from the vandalised benches.

A BIG Thank You Again.

Article below – Street Pride News Website…Click Here

Today / this morning saw the return of the bench that was vandalized at the Manor field next to the skateboard board area. Renovated and this time with more bolts sunk into the concrete to secure it hopefully for many years. Thanks to Dick, Luke Peter and Alan Hobbs who orchestrated the return and installation, well done to all that participated.

The next litter pick will be on February 8th at Crossway Hand / Stonald Road -10am –  meeting at this junction – see you there.

First published on 10 October. Last updated 31 January.

Update 31 January:

Work is continuing at Benwick Road, Whittlesey, with the road set to re-open in early March 2025. This is slightly later than planned due to challenging ground conditions during construction. These works require a full road closure to allow for the road to be reconstructed and resurfaced. A signed diversion route is in place with access maintained for residents and businesses throughout the works.

The emergency lane closure on Ralph Butcher Causeway, due to cracking in the road, remains in place. The investigative work, including all the tests, have been completed. Jones Bros are considering a number of design options to finalise the preferred option for the required remedial work.

We plan to start work on site in May, subject to the necessary approvals, and it is anticipated the remedial work would be completed in September. We will be able to share more details on the programme once we have the full details from our contractor, Jones Bros. We’d like to reassure people, whichever option is chosen, it is currently anticipated that the work can be carried out and completed under a lane closure. A full road closure will not be required. We apologise for the inconvenience.

Two men have been arrested in connection with violent disorder and hare coursing following the disorder and criminality that occurred across Cambridgeshire on Saturday. 

In addition to the arrests a significant amount of property including four vehicles and hare coursing equipment was seized.

Chief Constable Nick Dean said: “I do not underestimate the impact Saturday’s events had on our communities and the devastation it has left behind. Earlier this week I committed to launching an investigation and bringing to justice those responsible’. 

“We have a dedicated investigation team who have been working tirelessly reviewing the many pieces of information that have been coming into us since the weekend and have led to these arrests.

“Our work is ongoing to identify those responsible, however I hope today’s action provides some reassurance that we are fully investigating the criminality suffered by our communities last weekend.

“We have dedicated patrols in place this weekend and would encourage anyone concerned about further disorder to contact us.”

You can read more about the arrests on our website.

Video footage of the arrests can be viewed on our YouTube channel.

Anyone with any information and footage that could assist in identifying those involved is asked to email OpCalluna@cambs.police.uk or contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, by calling 0800 555111 or online.

Kind Regards,

Superintendent Ben Martin

(click on picture to enlarge)