Ashdown Forest: New car park signs vandalised

A number of new car park signs have been vandalised at the Ashdown Forest.

It is thought the signs were targeted after new parking charges came into force this week.

Visitors to the forest in East Sussex are now being charged to use its 45 car parks over a 10 square mile radius.

Ashdown Forest chief executive James Adler described the vandalism as "deeply sad" and acknowledged the charges would not be "universally popular".

The rural crime team at Sussex Police has been informed.

Mr Adler said: "It is a great shame that some of the funding that visitors to the forest have so kindly contributed via their car park payments will need to be used to repair the actions from just a small number of individuals."

He added the vandalism would divert vital funds from important work that benefit visitors.

Forest officials hope the charges, brought in on Monday, will be used to improve facilities, including maintaining paths and tracks, and clearing up rubbish.

"Whilst we recognise that a payment scheme will never be universally popular, we hope that visitors will notice the improvements to the forest over the coming months and years as the funding allows repairs and enhancements," Mr Adler said.

He added they have been "touched" by visitors happy to contribute to the forest's upkeep and he thanked people who have bought passes and tickets this week.

Ashdown Forest is famous as being the inspiration for the Hundred Acre Wood, the setting of AA Milne's Winnie the Pooh books.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk.