Man taking photos at lake wrongly told he was ‘breaking the law’

Hollingworth Lake

A man who has been taking photos at Hollingworth Lake for more than 30 years was shocked to be told he was ‘breaking the law’ by taking photographs.

Paul Keenan was at the Lake on Monday afternoon (11 July) taking photographs of a boat being taken out of the water.

He was then approached by two Link4Life workers who told him he was ‘breaking the law’ because there were children on the Lake and if he didn’t stop they would call the police.

Mr Keenan told them there was no such law. The Council staff quoted a ‘Child Protection Law’ to him, and again threatened to call the police. Unfortunately Mr Keenan had to leave to collect his daughter from school.

He said the people who approached him are “quoting laws that are not in place at the lake or any other public areas.”

Mr Keenan described the man’s attitude as “silly” and said he found the whole thing “quite unbelievable.”

He added: “The place wasn’t packed but there was lots of people around also taking pictures whom he did not quote laws at.

“I only wish I could have stayed for the police to arrive if he phoned them.”

The Lake is a popular tourist attraction all year long and many people visiting take photographs.

A spokesperson for Link4Life said: "The incident concerned involving photographs being taken specifically of a group of children from a secondary school who were taking part in a water sports session with a Link4Life instructor.

The spokesperson said: “Our duty of care to schools requires that no photographs are taken of children without the written permission of parents or school and this was explained to the gentleman in question when asking him to stop.”

However, it is not against the law to take photographs in a public space – such as Hollingworth Lake - and the Council has no right to try and enforce its own 'child protection policy' in the public arena.

Police advice issued to officers advises the police have no right to stop photos being taken in a public place with a few exceptions, such as in photos being taken at sites affecting national security.