A disturbing incident has sparked outrage in the Cotswold village of Bourton-on-the-Water, where a man was reportedly seen defecating in a public street. The event unfolded on Monday, 24 August, with a photograph circulating on social media depicting a man crouched by a bush at the junction of Letch Lane and Victoria Street with his trousers down.
Residents voiced their dismay, noting that the man left behind both faeces and a significant amount of toilet paper in the bush. The incident, described by locals as “shocking,” was reported to both Cotswold District Council (CDC) and the local police force.
A spokesperson from the police confirmed that while the report was received on Wednesday, 26 August, attempts to identify the individual from the photograph were unsuccessful. Consequently, pursuing a formal investigation was considered disproportionate.
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County Councillor Paul Hodgkinson (Liberal Democrat, Bourton-on-the-Water and Northleach) took the matter to the district council’s environmental health team. He expressed the frustration of local residents, stating, “It is shocking! Residents are right to be really angry about this happening in their streets. I have reported it to CDC environmental health but I imagine without a formal identification of the individual it would be difficult to establish his identity. This incident reflects broader concerns about the impact of high tourist numbers on our village. While most visitors are respectful, incidents like this are truly unacceptable.”
Councillor Len Wilkins (Conservative, Bourton Vale), representing part of the village, also acknowledged that such behaviour from visitors is unfortunately “not uncommon.” He recalled witnessing a similar event near the path leading from the tennis club towards the village, as well as various instances where visitors had urinated in public spaces. Councillor Wilkins suggested that increased efforts in educating tourists, possibly through informative booklets outlining expected conduct in Bourton, might be necessary to curb such behaviours.
It is important to note that not all such occurrences fall directly under police jurisdiction; the appropriateness of police intervention depends on specific circumstances including the location of the act and any underlying medical or mental health conditions of the individual involved.
Cotswold District Council declined to comment on the incident, citing it as a matter for the police. The community continues to express concern over the challenges posed by overtourism, hoping for measures to preserve the village’s character and environment.