Popular woodland park closed after storm damage

Pretty Corner Woods by Sheringham. Picture: NNDC (Image: NNDC)

North Norfolk District Council has closed Pretty Corner Woods just outside Sheringham while rangers clear debris and assess damage from the storm that wreaked havoc across the district on Friday and Saturday.

The council said rangers would be at the park clearing pathways for several days, and the woods would stay closed until further notice.

Colin Brown, the council’s sports, recreation and countryside manager, said: “We cannot stress enough the importance of staying away from our woodlands at the present time.

“The public should not enter these woods until we have assessed these area and can deem them safe.

“Our rangers will be on site over the coming days assessing damage and undertaking any works to the trees that will be required.

“Until then it is imperative that visitors refrain from visiting Pretty Corner Woods.

“We will let residents know in due course when they can return to our wonderful woodland here in Sheringham.”

Pretty Corner is a 165-acre patchwork woodland and heathland, and is one of the council’s ‘Green Flag’ parks.

Rangers will have to remain at the site after the weather improves to identify unstable trees and hanging or brittle branches.

People have been asked not to visit any of the council’s managed woodland sites until their safety has been assessed by the council, all except Holt Country Park.

That park has been cleared and was reopened on the morning of September 29. But visitors have been asked to take extra care when walking through the woods there.

The council has said they have been getting a lot of calls about damaged and fallen trees since the storm - to many to follow up on each report with a visit without a formal application.

They said if anyone considered the work needed to their tree to be urgent, they should contact a tree surgeon and have them carry out emergency works, informing the council.