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Dad Furious Over Threatening Note Left On Sons' Woodland Den

Dad Furious Over Threatening Note Left On Sons' Woodland Den

The note claimed to have notified police of the den which the 12 and 10-year-old made themselves.

Mark McGowan

Mark McGowan

A dad isn't happy after his sons discovered an angry note left on their 'den' in the woods.

Warren Restall's two sons built themselves the woodland den before a 'sad individual' left a message saying that they'd contacted the police over the structure.

The two lads, Toby, 12, and Henry, 10, had used branches and bracken from a fallen tree to get creative, constructing their den on a nature reserve in Essex.

The note, left at the Site of Special Scientific Interest at the Thrift Wood Nature Reserve, read: "This is a nature reserve.

"This den has been reported to the Essex Wildlife Trust and the police."

Credit: SWNS

Despite the location, Restall thinks the note is petty as his sons clearly didn't know any better.

"They came back all upset of course, it's a threatening note saying they are going to contact the Essex Wildlife Trust and police," the father said.

"Henry absolutely loves the woods and Toby, anything that just involves fresh air and exercise he loves.

"Everything they used was fallen so they haven't chopped trees down, they haven't used anything that was going to harm the environment.

"Henry was quite upset that someone had the audacity to write such a stupid thing. Even he said there were more important things in life to be worried about.

Credit: SWNS

"It's a kind of sad reality of life that people will go out of their way to make objections to something and this just one of those things.

"I have been contacted by a large conservation team who want to do a pop up event on the back of this. So let's just say I'm a proud dad.

"The only sad part of this story is that a sad individual feels it necessary to report it and leave a note.

"Well that's backfired."

Pictures of the den ended up being shared on social media, causing an angry response from some other locals.

Restall still thinks it's all uncalled for, however, and says that he and his boys have learned a 'life lesson'.

"It's a life learning lessons but you know what? The progress and the escalation in this story has amazed me and to whoever wrote the note, it has absolutely backfired," he said.

A spokesman for Essex Police said that the den hadn't been reported, and added that it didn't seem to be a policing matter.

Essex Wildlife Trust Reserves Manager Adam Rochester said: "Essex Wildlife Trust has been aware for some time of the children's den created in our Thrift Wood nature reserve.

"We have left it over the summer, as it was clearly doing no harm and we actively encourage children and families to enjoy wild places."

Featured Image Credit: SWNS

Topics: Police, Dad, Nature