Tewkesbury Borough Council to tackle 'dogging' hotspot

A wooded area close to the A38 in Gloucestershire advertised as an area "to meet and have sex" is being monitored by police and council staff.

Tewkesbury Borough Council said activities on Brockeridge Common were causing concern to local residents and creating a litter problem.

A spokesman said it was speaking to the landowner to make the area more visible in an attempt to deter "dogging".

He added residents were being asked to let police know of any incidents.

The council spokesman said the area had been advertised on websites and people were parking at the lay-by by Brockeridge Common before jumping over a fence into woodland.

'Public toilet'

"We will work alongside other local agencies to crack down on this anti-social behaviour," he said.

"As well as the site being used for indecent behaviour, we have reports of lorry drivers using the larger lay-by on the A38 at Ripple as a public toilet, which again is not acceptable, and the police have said they will also be monitoring this.

Gloucestershire Police said officers would be carrying out additional patrols in the area at "varying times" throughout the day.

"We will continue to work closely with our partners at the council to come up with longer-term solutions to the problem," a spokesperson said.

Legally, the issue of dogging is a grey area as those taking part are committing no offence unless they are witnessed by a member of the public who can be defined as "outraged" in the eyes of the law.