THE owner of a popular north Cotswolds tourist attraction has called for action to tackle the silting up of Blockley Brook.

Wendy Dare, owner of Mill Dene Garden in Blockley, has organised a public meeting tomorrow (Friday, Feb 22) to discuss the future management of the brook that runs through her garden, which she opens to the public.

Mrs Dare, wife of Gloucestershire County Council leader Barry Dare, said that the ford and 10 millponds on the brook had silted up twice in the past two years as a result of unauthorised building work.

She said other millpond owners also open their sluice gates without warning, creating the risk of flooding lower down the brook.

The problems were brought to the fore buy last summer's floods, which affected homes in the village, including the Dare's.

"We hope to get everybody in the village who has some sort of riparian interest to get together once or twice a year to clear the brook," said Mrs Dare.

She would also like Cotswold District Council to include a condition in planning consent that developers have to consult the Environment Agency before commencing ground works.

It follows an incident two or three years ago when the deep excavation of a site at Dovedale caused debris to flood into the brook turning it yellow.

Stocks of fish, crayfish, minnows and sticklebacks have diminished and the water level rises and falls frequently, she added.

Among those attending the meeting at 2pm in St George's Hall, Blockley, will be representatives of Thames Water,Northwick Park Estate owner Ian Bond, district and county councillor Julie Girling. Others invited include the Environment Agency, Severn Trent Water, Batsford Estate and other local councillors. Cotswolds MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown has said he is unable to attend due to other commitments.