Astronomers complain that a lay-by they use for gazing at the stars has become a very popular dogging site.
Astronomers claim this lay-by has become a popular dogging site
Members of the Croydon Astronomical Society have claimed that a lay-by near their observatory is being used by doggers, causing queues of traffic waiting to get ‘a slot’. They claim dozens of cars are often seen trying to get into the lay-by, with weekends being the ‘busiest time’.
The star gazers complaints has prompted the police to set up a stake out at the layby. Police Community Support Officer Kelly Evans, speaking at a packed residents’ association meeting last week, said that police were told the layby in Hayes Lane was “used by couples to meet other couples”.
She reassured locals that police were doing all they could to stop the doggers explaining that one evening she hid nearby in a stakeout to investigate and she shone her torchlight onto the cars as she explained “I went up there to see if I could see any heads popping up from inside the cars”
She said that on average there were between four and twelve cars using the lay-by every night and promised to crack down on the doggers, although she said no arrests have yet been made.
Croydon Astronomy Society setting up their equipment
Local resident Simon Lawson, 43, said: “Every time you drive past that lay-by you see cars queuing up to get a slot. Sometimes the cars queuing up cause quite a problem for other drivers, who just want to get to home.” He added: “The police need to go there on a Saturday night and just nick everyone there – it won’t be hard to catch them, they’ll have their pants around their ankles.”
Another local resident Mike Street thinks the cars have been using the bay for more like two years, said: “I must confess the reason I see it is because on a Tuesday evening I go horse riding at an indoor centre. But when I come home it’s late, about 10pm, and the cars are parked there. I thought, ‘what are people doing there at this time of night? It is strange. They’re all road taxed and it’s not always the same cars.”
So there you have it – stars and strippers – you could enjoy two hobbies in one night!
