I
Ian Cloke
Guest
Firstly it was drivers in Cheshire who had to cope with road signs on their country lanes being translated into Polish.
Now it is fishermen at a Welsh beauty spot who have been left baffled by warning notices in the Eastern European language.
They have been put up to stop immigrants who cannot speak English from fishing illegally after reports they were taking home and eating fish caught without a licence.
The Environment Agency claim the signs are needed at Erddig Country Park, near Wrexham, North Wales, because of the town's large Polish population which dramatically increased following the expansion of the European Union three years ago.
It follows the introduction of anti-poaching patrols along other riverbanks and lakes across Britain last year amid concern that Eastern Europeans were catching massive numbers of British fish illegally.
They are particularly interested in carp, which has protected status in Britain but is regarded as a Christmas delicacy in Poland.
Although there is no carp in the River Clywedog at Erddig, the Agency said they were concerned that Polish fishermen were unaware of British law and could have been landed with big fines as a consequence.
But the signs have angered local residents, who claim they are simply pandering to political correctness, and that they would be better translated into Welsh which is the first language of many in the community.
Jane Redfern Jones, 41, spotted the signs while out walking her dogs in the park last week.
"I am not a racist or against Polish people in any way," she said last night.
"But the Environment Agency seem to have lost the plot. There are quite a few Polish people in Wrexham, but not as many as there are Welsh speakers.
"It is wrong that Polish signs have been used instead of Welsh ones."
Philip Davies, Tory MP for Shipley, West Yorkshire, branded the signs "ridiculous."
"It is absolutely bonkers and is doing nothing for promoting integration in this country," he said.
"How are foreign nationals living in Britain going to learn English if everything is handed to them on a plate in their own language.
"I am sick to death of the taxpayer footing the bill for lunatic authorities to translate into different languages.
"They need to stop this ridiculous form of political correctness."
The Polish signs were erected alongside English signs at the entrance gate to the park last week.
They warn anglers that anyone caught fishing without a valid rod licence, which costs around ?24, could face prosecution and a fine of up to ?2,500.
Fishermen are allowed to kill only two freshwater coarse fish a day using a rod and line, and using large nets or fixed-rod lines to catch large numbers is illegal.
Richard Dunstone, spokesman for the Environment Agency, defended the move to erect the Polish signs at the park. He said the signs cost "pennies" to produce and were funded by money recouped from rod licence payments and not the taxpayer.
"We have had a problem with Polish people fishing without a licence and eating the fish,' he said.
"Some of the specimens are for sport fishing, they are big fish and are not supposed to be taken.
'They (the Poles) were just fishing as they would at home. The Polish version was to help them understand the law."
Around 1,500 Poles have registered to work in Wrexham over the past four years. The growth in the immigrant population has been so rapid that North Wales police, lead by controversial police chief Richard Brunstrom, have announced they are actively recruiting Poles into the force.
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Now it is fishermen at a Welsh beauty spot who have been left baffled by warning notices in the Eastern European language.
They have been put up to stop immigrants who cannot speak English from fishing illegally after reports they were taking home and eating fish caught without a licence.
The Environment Agency claim the signs are needed at Erddig Country Park, near Wrexham, North Wales, because of the town's large Polish population which dramatically increased following the expansion of the European Union three years ago.
It follows the introduction of anti-poaching patrols along other riverbanks and lakes across Britain last year amid concern that Eastern Europeans were catching massive numbers of British fish illegally.
They are particularly interested in carp, which has protected status in Britain but is regarded as a Christmas delicacy in Poland.
Although there is no carp in the River Clywedog at Erddig, the Agency said they were concerned that Polish fishermen were unaware of British law and could have been landed with big fines as a consequence.
But the signs have angered local residents, who claim they are simply pandering to political correctness, and that they would be better translated into Welsh which is the first language of many in the community.
Jane Redfern Jones, 41, spotted the signs while out walking her dogs in the park last week.
"I am not a racist or against Polish people in any way," she said last night.
"But the Environment Agency seem to have lost the plot. There are quite a few Polish people in Wrexham, but not as many as there are Welsh speakers.
"It is wrong that Polish signs have been used instead of Welsh ones."
Philip Davies, Tory MP for Shipley, West Yorkshire, branded the signs "ridiculous."
"It is absolutely bonkers and is doing nothing for promoting integration in this country," he said.
"How are foreign nationals living in Britain going to learn English if everything is handed to them on a plate in their own language.
"I am sick to death of the taxpayer footing the bill for lunatic authorities to translate into different languages.
"They need to stop this ridiculous form of political correctness."
The Polish signs were erected alongside English signs at the entrance gate to the park last week.
They warn anglers that anyone caught fishing without a valid rod licence, which costs around ?24, could face prosecution and a fine of up to ?2,500.
Fishermen are allowed to kill only two freshwater coarse fish a day using a rod and line, and using large nets or fixed-rod lines to catch large numbers is illegal.
Richard Dunstone, spokesman for the Environment Agency, defended the move to erect the Polish signs at the park. He said the signs cost "pennies" to produce and were funded by money recouped from rod licence payments and not the taxpayer.
"We have had a problem with Polish people fishing without a licence and eating the fish,' he said.
"Some of the specimens are for sport fishing, they are big fish and are not supposed to be taken.
'They (the Poles) were just fishing as they would at home. The Polish version was to help them understand the law."
Around 1,500 Poles have registered to work in Wrexham over the past four years. The growth in the immigrant population has been so rapid that North Wales police, lead by controversial police chief Richard Brunstrom, have announced they are actively recruiting Poles into the force.
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