Bardfield Saling women hits out at seasonal shoot event

Laura Thompson, 52, has lived in Bardfield Saling with husband Adam, 52, for the past six years.

She claims the Yorney Valley Shoot affects residents and the environment due to constant noise.

Laura says she lives less than 50 metres from where the shoot often takes place, and that it can start from 9am and go on until 3pm or later, on Wednesdays and Saturdays during the season.

Area - a group of Yorney Valley Shooters less than 50 metres from Laura's horses and property (Image: Laura Thompson)

Messy - Mud left on a public road after a shoot (Image: Laura Thompson)

The land is owned by Dubai Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a billionaire who owns 5,000 acres in Essex.

The sheikh owns two companies which manage the land, Saker Estates and Essex Farms, who gave permission to Yorney Valley Shoot to use the land for commercial shooting events.

A day shoot experience can cost from £645 to £1,290 with the chance to shoot up to 200 birds.

Laura said: “It has impacted our lives greatly. When we moved here it was just once a week on a Saturday, to be fair. They were close, but maybe just an hour long and they would move on.

“The season runs from September 1 to February 1. Last September it started being twice a week, but sometimes more often than that."

Not happy - Laura Thompson attending to her horses (Image: Laura Thompson)

Deceased - A dead partridge which landed in Laura's garden during a shoot day (Image: Laura Thompson)

Laura says one of her horses was startled by gunfire from a shoot last September.

She claims the horse skidded and fell on the ground, damaging muscles in his spine, resulting in Laura having to spend thousands on vet fees, medication, and on-going treatment.

Laura says they reached out to Yorney Valley Shoot and Saker Estates and Essex Farms to see if they would move the shoot further away, but have been met with silence.

She has even tried to contact the sheikh, but the only response was from Godolphin Management, a company he owns, who said it could not comment or help with the matter.

Laura has lived in the country all her life and says she knows shooting is a country pursuit, but this is like nothing she has seen before.

Laura said: “The shooting was never on my radar until I moved here and realised the impact it has on our lives and on others residents.

"You can’t sit in the garden because the noise is so loud.

group shoots - The vehicle which transports the shoot attendees (Image: Laura Thompson)

Inconvenient - An image of a public bylane which allegedly became blocked due to a shoot taking place (Image: Laura Thompson)

“It is a living hell and enough is enough. When you’ve got 5,000 acres why do they park and shoot right near our houses.

“Could they not move the shoot further away?

“I want them to leave us in the peace, so we can return to a tranquil hamlet.

"There are 50 to 60 people, and a lot of people are scared to speak out in fear of repercussions.”

Neither Yorney Valley Shoots, Saker Estates or Essex Farms have responded to a request for comment.