The Archers village kick off over 'swearing' footballers shattering their peace
- 14 days ago
A real-life drama is brewing in the idyllic village which inspired The Archers in a row over "shouting and swearing" footballers ruining residents' peace and quiet.
Locals living in Inkberrow, Worcs., - where house prices average £500,000 - are fed up with noisy players and fans from the village football club.
Some residents say their gardens have "lost their tranquility" and are objecting to plans for non-league Inkberrow FC to expand.
They say the peace of the village - which inspired Radio 4's The Archers - has been "completely shattered" by match day shouting and cheering.
The club runs around 30 teams from the under-7s to an over-50s side with many training and playing on Saturday and Sunday mornings at its Sands Pavilion ground.
To accommodate the hundreds of players and fans, the club applied to Wychavon District Council for planning permission to build two new stands.
But the application attracted objections with some locals arguing the village is being "swamped" by the team's expansion and spoiled by "loutish" supporters.
Retired bank worker Lynn Moseley, 65, who lives opposite the Midlands club, said it would be "like having Birmingham City FC's ground in the middle of a little village".
She says the once-peaceful spot has been spoiled by swearing and shouting football players, giant floodlights and traffic problems.
Mum-of-two Lynn, who has lived in Inkberrow for six years, said: "When I moved in it was just a field where people played football.
"A year later the ground was built. Then they put in for planning and then it’s got bigger and bigger.
"At first it was a little annoying on a Sunday because it's a very tranquil place but now the noise even comes down my chimney because I have a coal fire.
"Sometimes I come back on a Tuesday night and all the floodlights are on and they’re huge.
“You think ‘blimey, this wasn’t like this before’ - it was a nice, quiet dark village.
“The floodlights don’t affect me but for the people who live up the road, they’re right into their bedrooms.
"You’ve got the shouting and the swearing from the pitch, which I understand. I used to play netball so I know how excited you become.
“But when you’re at home you don't want to hear it.
“I think they run 30 odd teams and the constant traffic is bad. They must have 100 cars in the car park.
"The constant traffic has become such a nightmare. We have no paths so when cars come down you have to go up onto the grass.
“Now on a Saturday and Sunday it is so busy. They don’t realise it’s 30mph. They drive at such erratic speeds.
"When I'm walking my dogs you have your life in your hands.
“I was begging for it to not be bigger, because the village can’t handle any more traffic.
“They have a license to serve alcohol too, so they’re there until very late.
“I don’t disagree that it’s bad for the kids to play football, but it’s not nice having it on your doorstep.
Locals living in Inkberrow, Worcs., - where house prices average £500,000 - are fed up with noisy players and fans from the village football club.
Some residents say their gardens have "lost their tranquility" and are objecting to plans for non-league Inkberrow FC to expand.
They say the peace of the village - which inspired Radio 4's The Archers - has been "completely shattered" by match day shouting and cheering.
The club runs around 30 teams from the under-7s to an over-50s side with many training and playing on Saturday and Sunday mornings at its Sands Pavilion ground.
To accommodate the hundreds of players and fans, the club applied to Wychavon District Council for planning permission to build two new stands.
But the application attracted objections with some locals arguing the village is being "swamped" by the team's expansion and spoiled by "loutish" supporters.
Retired bank worker Lynn Moseley, 65, who lives opposite the Midlands club, said it would be "like having Birmingham City FC's ground in the middle of a little village".
She says the once-peaceful spot has been spoiled by swearing and shouting football players, giant floodlights and traffic problems.
Mum-of-two Lynn, who has lived in Inkberrow for six years, said: "When I moved in it was just a field where people played football.
"A year later the ground was built. Then they put in for planning and then it’s got bigger and bigger.
"At first it was a little annoying on a Sunday because it's a very tranquil place but now the noise even comes down my chimney because I have a coal fire.
"Sometimes I come back on a Tuesday night and all the floodlights are on and they’re huge.
“You think ‘blimey, this wasn’t like this before’ - it was a nice, quiet dark village.
“The floodlights don’t affect me but for the people who live up the road, they’re right into their bedrooms.
"You’ve got the shouting and the swearing from the pitch, which I understand. I used to play netball so I know how excited you become.
“But when you’re at home you don't want to hear it.
“I think they run 30 odd teams and the constant traffic is bad. They must have 100 cars in the car park.
"The constant traffic has become such a nightmare. We have no paths so when cars come down you have to go up onto the grass.
“Now on a Saturday and Sunday it is so busy. They don’t realise it’s 30mph. They drive at such erratic speeds.
"When I'm walking my dogs you have your life in your hands.
“I was begging for it to not be bigger, because the village can’t handle any more traffic.
“They have a license to serve alcohol too, so they’re there until very late.
“I don’t disagree that it’s bad for the kids to play football, but it’s not nice having it on your doorstep.