THE owner of a quarry where people sneak in to bathe on hot days will be having crisis talks with the police this week to work out a way to stop the trespassing.
Although the damage to the fences and machinery at Pitstone Quarry is costing its owner Tim Clark thousands of pounds, his main concern is that someone will hurt themselves or drown in the waters, which are up to seven metres deep.
He said: “It’s the danger that we are worried about. People jump from the machinery and the heaps of agricultural lime piled there. They could end up under 1,000 tonnes of rubble. On one occasion someone was airlifted to hospital after having an accident.
“Plus there’s the vandalism of all the fences. Every time we repair them people cut them to get in and they leave rubbish everywhere.”
Last Wednesday scores of bathers flocked to the site in Icknield Way, Tring, to cool off from the 30 degrees C temperatures.
The Gazette saw at least 30 cars and campervans obstructing the roundabout by parking on the grass verge nearby.
The problem has been going on for more than five years but has been getting worse as word has spread and now people travel from further afield.
Mr Clark is meeting with neighbourhood inspector George Holland and representatives from Thames Valley Police with an aim to put a stop to it.