THERE could be stormy waters ahead in Lechlade with campaigners wanting to “clean-up” the marina clashing with the owner, who says he needs more help to combat a wave of fly-tipping.

A spokesman for the newly-formed Facebook group ‘Action to clear up Lechlade Marina’ said: “We’re just trying to get it out there to see if anybody has ideas on how we can improve things at the marina.

“It should be a beautiful landmark, but it’s quite plainly not. It looks like a tip. There’s makeshift things, boat wrecks. You’ve got this horrible area, which nothing seems to be happening to.

“There’s too many issues there. A lot of chat is about it being the start of the River Thames – well, isn’t someone thinking: we must preserve it?”

The group has contacted Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton Brown and Cotswold District Council, but those at the marina feel the group do not have the full story and hit back at the criticism.

Marina owner Tim Lloyd said much of the rubbish is “generated by fly tippers”.

“People think they’re clever. They ditch it here,” he said.

“Then it’s my problem. I have to use the marina’s money to solve it. Let’s have some help from the council to deal with things like that.”

Mark, 51, a boat owner from Swindon who moors at the marina, said: “The fly tipping is horrendous. We spent two days clearing all this. Then, since yesterday there’s all this. Where did it come from? They [the Lloyds] can’t afford to put security around here.”

There are also several abandoned boats currently littering the site, which Mr Lloyd says costs him money to remove before they turn rotten.

“I think some people take up the lifestyle thinking it’s easy,” said Mark.

“Then they see how much work you have to do. We spend all winter getting them polished and gleaming. People don’t want to do it.”

He added: “People who pay their deposits always pay their moorings. People who don’t pay their deposits just go. He hasn’t got the money to support everything.”

Cllr Sue Coakley, district councillor for Lechlade, said: “Both the enforcement and public protection teams at CDC have, in my view, worked tirelessly to mitigate the current situation by addressing the issues that fall within their remit. But they can only address breaches of planning and public protection policies not seek improvements on the site beyond compliance with legislation.

“The town council have included the transformation of the marina as a key project in their Neighbourhood Plan which is being modified following inspection before going to a referendum later this year, but this is dependent on a change of ownership.”