Leeds Covid-19 spread fears raised amid claims up to 1,000 people were at Woodhouse Moor party

Fears for public health in Leeds have been raised after reports up to 1,000 people were at the latest mass gathering in Hyde Park area as  Covid-19 restrictions tighten across West Yorkshire.
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Up to 1,000 people were reported to have been partying on Woodhouse Moor on Friday night (July 31) into the early hours on Saturday - leaving the area strewn with rubbish, drugs paraphernalia and human faeces.

Nitrous oxide - laughing gas - cannisters were found among rubbish left by revellers.

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Hyde Park residents have asked why police didn't close the event down after members of the public reported it was happening early on Friday evening.

Rubbish left dumped on Woodhouse Moor in Leeds the morning after a massive party on the nighht of Friday July 31Rubbish left dumped on Woodhouse Moor in Leeds the morning after a massive party on the nighht of Friday July 31
Rubbish left dumped on Woodhouse Moor in Leeds the morning after a massive party on the nighht of Friday July 31

Last month, Leeds City Council and police pledged to take action after members of Moorlands Residents' Group said they had not slept for three weeks due to regular all-night student Covid parties’ during lockdown.

Hyde Park residents reported anti-social behaviour when around 200 people gathered at a party in the garden of a house Moorlands Road late on Saturday July 18 into the early hours of Sunday 19.

On July 1, Leeds City Council launched a crackdown on large street parties, noisy neighbours, overflowing bins and public drug use in north west Leeds after concerns were raised by residents and businesses.

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A Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) order was put in place in Headingley, Hyde Park, Weetwood, Little London and Woodhouse.

Nitrous oxide - laughing gas - cannisters in rubbish  on Woodhouse Moor the morning after a massive party on the night of Friday July 31Nitrous oxide - laughing gas - cannisters in rubbish  on Woodhouse Moor the morning after a massive party on the night of Friday July 31
Nitrous oxide - laughing gas - cannisters in rubbish on Woodhouse Moor the morning after a massive party on the night of Friday July 31

Moorlands Residents' Group member Alison McNeill, said around 50 people were at the party on Woodhouse Moor from 7pm before numbers rose gradually throughout Friday evening.

She said there were around 1,000 people at the party by around 2am.

She said: "It is a total nightmare. We are trying to keep safe and these young people don't seem to care about other people's health and the Covid-19 restrictions, social distancing and just the wellbeing of the community."

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Ms McNeill said residents were reporting the gathering to police from 7pm .

Rubbish  on Woodhouse Moor the morning after a massive party on the night of Friday July 31Rubbish  on Woodhouse Moor the morning after a massive party on the night of Friday July 31
Rubbish on Woodhouse Moor the morning after a massive party on the night of Friday July 31

She added: "I emailed police at about 8pm to 8.30pm, reporting it as anti-social behaviour, the Covid-19 restrictions and the PSPO breach.

"Why didn't the police shut this party down when they knew about it early. They had plenty of time to shut it down before it got massive.

"It is so dangerous, especially with parts of West Yorkshire back into lockdown. For a gathering of that size to happen, it's a danger to public health."

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Ms McNeill said piles of human excrement were found on land between the tennis courts and the entrance to allotments on Saturday morning.

Hyde Park resident Tony Crooks said: "It is dangerous, because of the ongoing coronavirus situation and it's further exacerbated by the recent spike in outbreaks.

"There was no social distancing going on. I saw a few people in masks, but the vast majority were not wearing masks.

"Many calls were made to police in the early evening by people I know. It is a failure on behalf of the police and the council that it wasn't closed down.

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"The PSPO order means nothing. It was completely ignored. All the work that people have put in to achieve that and it is for nothing."

West Yorkshire Police said they were called just after 9pm on Friday July 31 to reports of a large gathering on Woodhouse Moor.

The force said in a statement that officers attended "taking the approach of engaging, encouraging and explaining before attendees later dispersed from the area."

West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Tim Kingsman said: “We continue to engage with the public and explain our approach, particularly where large gatherings could potentially contribute to the spread of COVID-19.

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“We will take pre-emptive action to prevent significant numbers from congregating and sound systems will be seized where there is information to suggest a breach in restrictions, however, as we have said throughout, enforcement is clearly a last resort.

“Given we have only just seen further restrictions imposed upon parts of West Yorkshire, I would urge people to use their common sense and think about their own safety and the safety of others during these unprecedented times.”

A Leeds City Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the issues reported to the West Yorkshire Police at Woodhouse Moor and the effect it has had on the community.

“We take such irresponsible behaviour very seriously and are currently liaising with the local policing team and other partners to assess the case for any follow-up action.

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“We are also working within the partnership to address the emerging use of sound systems in the open air across Leeds and put pre-emptive measures in place to try to prevent a recurrence."

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Thank you

Laura Collins