Red card for Sussex sports pitch snowmen

A council worker attacking the snowman with a hedge trimmer A council worker attacking the snowman with a hedge trimmer

A council has been slammed for destroying snowmen with hedge-trimmers.

Stephen Divers from Shoreham spotted a council worker attacking a snowman in Buckingham Park in Shoreham.

He asked: “Is this a step too far for health and safety?”

A spokesman for Adur and Worthing councils admitted the snowmen had been destroyed to clear sports pitches.

She added: “When the weather breaks after snow has laid, we have to get back to normal as quickly as possible.

“Unfortunately snowmen that have been built will remain for weeks rather than hours as they freeze into a very compact lump.

“Where they are positioned on sports pitches, we have to break them up before games can be played and thus the reason for the snowmen around Adur and Worthing parks have had to be destroyed this week.”

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Comments(20)

tekniko says...
10:57am Sun 27 Jan 13

So sad, I hope all those involved make a full recovery.

Rocco10 says...
11:35am Sun 27 Jan 13

Who cares. Did the person have nothing else going on in their life?

tekniko says...
11:40am Sun 27 Jan 13

Rocco10 wrote:
Who cares. Did the person have nothing else going on in their life?
Rocco, your comment is so insensitive, that snowman had his head chopped off!

Rocco10 says...
12:17pm Sun 27 Jan 13

tekniko wrote:
Rocco10 wrote:
Who cares. Did the person have nothing else going on in their life?
Rocco, your comment is so insensitive, that snowman had his head chopped off!
At least it was quick and painless, we're lucky so have such humane council workers.

timfusciardi says...
12:31pm Sun 27 Jan 13

I would think allowing a snowman to sit and melt away is a much more long and painful way to go. I think we should comment the council for their work.

wippasnapper says...
12:47pm Sun 27 Jan 13

Rocco10 wrote:
tekniko wrote:
Rocco10 wrote:
Who cares. Did the person have nothing else going on in their life?
Rocco, your comment is so insensitive, that snowman had his head chopped off!
At least it was quick and painless, we're lucky so have such humane council workers.
How would you know it was painless have you ever had someone hack at you with a hedge-trimmer? Just think of the kids who in there own minds believe the snowman to be alive and how they must feel seeing this violent act of devastation and we are supposed to show our kids we are not violent but we care no matter what you are.

The internets wisest man says...
1:25pm Sun 27 Jan 13

This is an outrage. People casting aspersions about this snow persons sex and gender. I was brought up not to make assumptions about anyone. Unless the council know categorically that the snow-people involved were male and wished to be addressed as male then it is not right to simply assume they were snowmen.

I also hope the beheadings were done with cultural sensitivity. Some people wish to follow alternative legal systems in the UK that advocate many different kinds of medieval punishment on humans around the world. The snow people should have been given the option of being stoned?

Indigatio says...
3:07pm Sun 27 Jan 13

The internets wisest man wrote:
This is an outrage. People casting aspersions about this snow persons sex and gender. I was brought up not to make assumptions about anyone. Unless the council know categorically that the snow-people involved were male and wished to be addressed as male then it is not right to simply assume they were snowmen.

I also hope the beheadings were done with cultural sensitivity. Some people wish to follow alternative legal systems in the UK that advocate many different kinds of medieval punishment on humans around the world. The snow people should have been given the option of being stoned?
Briiliant!

saraman says...
5:48pm Sun 27 Jan 13

What's the difference between a snowman and a snowoman?

rfairweather@tiscali.co.uk says...
6:15pm Sun 27 Jan 13

Adur and Worthing Councils - it says it all - a bunch of geriatric killjoys all sitting in God's waiting room.

Serf says...
6:41pm Sun 27 Jan 13

saraman wrote:
What's the difference between a snowman and a snowoman?
Probably a carrot

tekniko says...
7:33pm Sun 27 Jan 13

Serf wrote:
saraman wrote:
What's the difference between a snowman and a snowoman?
Probably a carrot
Snow balls?

Plunge says...
8:21pm Sun 27 Jan 13

I thought I had stumbled into a mass grave of snowmen the other day. Turned out to be a field of carrots.....

imnotpc says...
10:58pm Sun 27 Jan 13

Plunge wrote:
I thought I had stumbled into a mass grave of snowmen the other day. Turned out to be a field of carrots.....
lol

Thetruthhurts101 says...
11:25pm Sun 27 Jan 13

wippasnapper wrote:
Rocco10 wrote:
tekniko wrote:
Rocco10 wrote:
Who cares. Did the person have nothing else going on in their life?
Rocco, your comment is so insensitive, that snowman had his head chopped off!
At least it was quick and painless, we're lucky so have such humane council workers.
How would you know it was painless have you ever had someone hack at you with a hedge-trimmer? Just think of the kids who in there own minds believe the snowman to be alive and how they must feel seeing this violent act of devastation and we are supposed to show our kids we are not violent but we care no matter what you are.
Are u being seriouse??? If u teach ur kids that snowmen are real, ring 01273621984 east access mental health team

Thetruthhurts101 says...
11:28pm Sun 27 Jan 13

The internets wisest man wrote:
This is an outrage. People casting aspersions about this snow persons sex and gender. I was brought up not to make assumptions about anyone. Unless the council know categorically that the snow-people involved were male and wished to be addressed as male then it is not right to simply assume they were snowmen.

I also hope the beheadings were done with cultural sensitivity. Some people wish to follow alternative legal systems in the UK that advocate many different kinds of medieval punishment on humans around the world. The snow people should have been given the option of being stoned?
Seriously mate, what did u want the council too do? Get an eviction order, and as for his and hers that's for humans not a bit of fecking ice!!!!!!! Get a grip and spew that dictionary back up u willack

Thetruthhurts101 says...
11:32pm Sun 27 Jan 13

Let the earn see the ashes

michael505 says...
4:27pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Obviously the Argus did not have much news if they make a story like this. I live nearby and it wasn't a snowman but just a large snowball which had been made by rolling it down the park. It ended up on a football pitch so what are the Council supposed to do, leave it there and let it act as an extra player. Grow up and move on.

stephendivers says...
6:53pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Wow I didn't expect it to make it to press, let alone to cause so many comments.
Brilliant!

As for the council's response, I knew that would be their answer.
However as far as I know, they had no games at Buckingham park on Saturday or Sunday. From memory, if the grounds are that wet then there is a clause in the hire agreement that says games, car-boots, funfairs, fates etc cant go ahead if excessive damage will be caused to the grass.

Anyway, life goes on.
Thanks for brightening my evening with your responses.

Stephen ;)

stephendivers says...
6:57pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Original email to the Argus picture desk:-



Subject: It's snow joke !

It would seem Adur/worthing council are paying contractors or their staff to demolish the snowmen and various snow sculptures with petrol strimmers in Buckingham park.

Is this a step too far for health and safety? Bearing in mind that to walk into the park the gateways are still full of slippery ice and snow.



Stephen Divers
Shoreham-by-Sea

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