Shooters blamed a wet spring for a shortage of grouse in many areas

Threats to disrupt the opening of the grouse shooting season failed to materialise, police said yesterday.Hunt saboteur groups were expected at moors across the north of England, as the Glorious Twelth dawned on Saturday.But Durham, North Yorkshire and Northumbria Police all said there had been no reports of trouble.Only a handful of moors in the north of England were thought to be holding shoots, with activity also slower than normal in Scotland. Shooters blamed a wet spring for a shortage of grouse in many areas. The latest flop followed claims anglers would face widespread disruption when the traditional coarse fishing season started on June 16 season————————-

Fisheries chiefs last night denied rumours a ban on summer piking on the Norfolk Broads is on the cards.

Locals feared a summer crackdown on East Anglia’s predator mecca. But waterside businesses hit back, claiming the move would drive away vital tourists. And a senior EA fisheries source said: “”There isn’t such a document that we’re aware of. “While there has been talk from some of the angling fraternity about the merits of such a ban, the environment agency isn’t involved in this. “At the moment you can fish for pike during the summer months but there is a voluntary code of conduct adopted by some bodies and a lot of people don’t fish for them until October 1.”If you start banning fishing for certain species at certain times why not ban roach fishing in the summer or whatever. “To do so would be getting into the anti-angling type of argument and that would be counter-productive.”The boom in summer lure fishing has brought anglers flocking to the Bure, Thurne and Yare and their network of broads. Guest houses, pubs and boat hire firms feared a ban would be another hammer blow alongside the decline in traditional cabin cruiser holidays. ————————-

Police have launched a murder hunt after a man’s body was found in a reservoir.

A passer-by spotted the body in the Welsh Harp reservoir in Neasden, north-west London, last Thursday afternoon. The man was described as black, aged between 18 and 25, 5ft 10ins tall, and ofmedium build.Scotland Yard said: “No identification was found on the body and police are appealing for anyone who recognises the description to contact them.”Detectives believe the man was the victim of a Yardie turf war. At least nine people have died in bloody skirmishes between rival gangs this year. Any anglers who saw the man, who was wearing a black Moschino sweatshirt with a white pattern on the front, a white T-shirt, brown Teddy Smith jeans, or anyone behaving suspiciously near the reservoir, should contact the Serious Crime Group on 0208 358 1686.————————-

Floating weed, the scourge of summer fishing on many rivers, is playing havoc on the lower reaches of the Great Ouse. Stretches around the mouths of Soham Lode and the River Lark have been badly affected in recent weeks.

“Soham Lode has the appearence of being cut by a blind man with a very blunt cutter,” observed one local paper.

Erratic flows and backing off have added to the problem. Over the next few weeks, thousands of matchmen are due to descend on the venue for the Drennan Super League, Embassy pairs and Division Four National.