"Never again" call from residents living near BNP festival site (with audio)

VILLAGERS are pleading with the BNP not to hold its festival near their homes again, after violent left-wing protests outside the site.

About 40 activists clashed with riot police near the Red, White and Blue festival, in Denby, resulting in 33 arrests and an officer being injured. Four hundred anti-BNP protesters also turned out for a generally peaceful march and rally in Codnor.

And people living near the site, in Codnor-Denby Lane, said they were kept awake by noise and flashing lights from inside the festival and drunks were making Nazi-style salutes outside their homes.

Now residents, Amber Valley MP Judy Mallaber and the area's county councillor, Eric Lancashire, are calling for the BNP not to return next year to ensure the violence does not happen again.

John Lumsden, 65, of Codnor-Denby Lane, said: "The fighting only goes to show what an unsuitable place this is."

Ms Mallaber said: "I am opposed to the BNP being here and I condemn the people who created the disorder outside. It is extremely distressing for people living nearby."

But BNP member Alan Warner, who hosted the festival on his fields, said it would be back "bigger and better" next year and said all the trouble had been caused by left-wing protesters.

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