RAMBLERS RAID MOUNTAIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 June 1932, Page 5

RAMBLERS RAID MOUNTAIN

FIGHT WITH KEEPERS. MANCHESTER, April 25. An army of 400 ramblers, men and girls, bent on gaining access to- pri-vately-owned moorland by “mass trespass,” stormed 'the slopes of Kinder B>cout, the Peakland mountain, this afternoon, and fought their way through a cordon of gamekeepers and moor wardens. Six ramblers, all £rom the Manchester district, were detained for some time by the Derbyshire police, and one keeper received a severe shaking and a twisted ankle.

The ramblers, who belonged to Lancashire district branches of the British Workers’ Sports Federation, marched from Hayfield to the-bottom of William Clough. Here the leaders crossed a brook, and, with shouts of enthusiasm, begsri scrambling up the boggy heather-clad slope of Kinder Scout.

The “spear-head” of the army—twenty or thirty young men raced after them. Eight or ten keepers, armed with sticks, met them, and trouble followed immediately. By the time the main body of ramblers were crossing the brook a free fight was in progress,. Gamekeepers’ sticks were wrenched from them and others were forced to the ground. One keeper, Mr Edward Beaver, of Hayfield, rolled some distance down the slope, twisted his ankle, and was badly shaken. One rambler fetched water for him, and dfter a few mnutes he was able to limp away, helped by one of his colleagues. Meanwhile the ramblers had streamed away towards Ashop Head, at the top of William Clough. A policeman seized one and took him back to Hayfield. .

When almost at Ashop Head a detachment of 30 ramblers from Sheffield joined the main body, and reported a trouble-free trespass ovex- the moore via Edale. After holding a “victory” gathering undisturbed the party returned to Hayfield, marching triumphantly towards the village, singing and laughing. But at Hayfield they were halted by a cordon of police across the road. Gamekeepers who had taken part in the struggle on the mountain inspect* ed the ramblers and picked out five. These were taken by the police to Hayfield police-station, the rest of the party being allowed to go on through the village. At the station it was found that all the six ramblers arrested had given names and addresses in the Manchester district. They were detained until their identity had been verified by the Manchester police. It is believed that further attempts will be made to organise “mass trespass” rambles in the Peake distrk .