Debate cools after tragic accident

FURIOUS debate sparked by a tragic accident on Beccles Common looks set to cool after both parties stressed their desire to put it behind them.

Last month Beccles man Colin Trentham successfully campaigned for ropes around Beccles Golf Club greens to be taken down, after his dog Megan died as result of getting her collar caught on the rope.

Megan had been chasing after a ball when her collar was caught on the bottom of two ropes, which had been strung across some poles to stop vandals from driving cars on the greens.

The incident severed her tongue so severely that she had to be put down, however it is unclear exactly how the injury was inflicted.

Last week the issue was reopened when Rod Cooper, President of Beccles Golf Club, wrote into The Journal stating that “the dog's death had nothing to do with the ropes around the greens or anything else connected by the golf club.”

However the golf club have since retracted the comment, citing a misunderstanding.

Mr Cooper explained that his daughter Sam Cooper, Ladies Captain on Beccles Golf Club, had told him that Mr Trentham had apologised to her and revealed that the dog had not in fact run into the rope.

However Miss Cooper admitted this week that she may have misunderstood Mr Trentham, who completely denies saying it.

She said: “After several discussions with Mr Trentham it now seems that I have misunderstood some of the information passed onto myself. This freak accident has now been taken out of proportion and the Golf Club Officer's along with myself would like to pass on our condolence's to Mr Trentham.”

Mr Trentham said he was glad to put the argument behind him. “It's been dragged out and dragged out, it's got totally out of hand,” he said. “I've said from the very beginning that all I wanted was to make the common safe for other dogs. It's been distressing for everybody- I've lost a dog. But I can have a sleep tonight.”