Anti-sewage campaigners questioned by police over MP's meeting

An anti-sewage campaigner visited by the police because she wanted to attend a meeting held by her local MP is worried it has damaged her reputation.

Beverely Glock submitted a question online ahead of a Chideock village event with West Dorset MP Chris Loder.

Dorset Police then attended her home and that of Fran Swan, another anti-sewage campaigner.

Mr Loder said he was required to let the police know about anything "out of the ordinary".

Mrs Glock said Bridport police told her the MP's office asked them to investigate because she could "cause a nuisance".

The yoga teacher said: "I am not a hooligan, I have my reputation on the line here. His implication is that I'm threatening him.

"This could crash my business. I've never had any dealings with the police, apart from a speeding ticket.

"I've never been an activist in my life, but I will be after this."

Details of the Chideock meeting were initially posted on social media, but Mrs Glock said the post was removed after she and Ms Swan expressed an interest in attending.

The paddleboard instructor and cold-water swimmer, who lives in nearby Lyme Regis, wanted to raise concerns about sewage outflows off the Dorset coast.

But she an email from the MP's office last Tuesday told her the meeting was for Chideock residents only, and she could not attend without a village resident.

Mrs Glock said she had also tried to meet with Mr Loder to discuss the issue back in March.

"We waited for his call and he was a no-show, then we tried to meet with him again but he bailed because he had urgent constituency business," she said.

"Then his PA said he didn't have any room in his diary and blocked us on Twitter and Facebook."

In a statement Mr Loder cited the "reality of security threats" and the murder of Sir David Amess MP, which he said meant he had to inform the police of anything "out of the ordinary".

"In this case, it is unusual to receive the interest of two people who were not invited to attend a localised surgery," he said.

"If the police had cause to visit anyone concerning this surgery meeting, I am not aware of the reason why and it is a matter for the local police to answer.

"But I can confirm I have not requested the police to visit anyone."

Dorset Police said it was notified by the MP's office that two people planning to attend the meeting were not from Chideock.

A spokesperson said: "Officers from the neighbourhood policing team wished to understand the intentions of those people to ensure that public safety was preserved and any lawful protest could be facilitated.

"This approach was well-intentioned without any direction from the local MP."

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