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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Gabriella Clare

Historic ford is closed as Tiktok craze sees hundreds flock to watch cars stuck in floods

A historic ford has been closed after viral TikTok videos showed drivers’ cars getting stuck in floods.

Millions of people watched across the globe as motorists attempted to go through Rufford Ford in Nottinghamshire - often failing.

Crowds of viewers were also brought in off-screen as well, with hundreds coming to watch the cars in person.

The small ford has now been closed as a result after fire services and police were required to help drivers out of their predicament.

Local councillor Neil Clarke was in charge of the council’s decision to close the ford last month, after requests from fire and police services, who were unable to cope with the pressure of onlookers coming to the rural area.

The ancient ford is thought to have been used for 1000 years but has now been closed (youtube.com/@Jack-Sparrow77)

He said: "We know that Rufford Ford has become popular with locals and those from further afield, but we cannot stress enough that dangerous driving in this area cannot continue because it puts the safety of motorists and pedestrians at risk.

"The closure has been put in place with immediate effect and will be in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the foreseeable future."

The ford is believed to have been used for more than 1000 years but has since been closed since it attracted online attention after a local teenager, Ben Gregory, uploaded a compilation to Youtube and later on TikTok.

People started turning up in person to watch cars float away after videos online attracted millions of viewers (youtube.com/@bengregers)

The video Ben shared amassed 100,000 views in 2020, but since then other YouTubers have uploaded similar videos and also racked up millions of views.

One YouTuber, whose goes by the username midlifecrisis101x, told the Guardian : "They don't want to seeing people winning. What they want to do is to watch idiots and go: 'I'm having a really bad day but he's having a worse one."

Filming the moment usually takes hours of waiting around, but midlifecrisis101x said he found the process therapeutic, adding: "It is relaxing there – it's like fishing."

The ford is safe to drive through when it has been dry and the river is dried out but many driver have attempted to drive through when it is flowing (youtube.com/@bengregers)

The influx of people meant that Nottinghamshire Police had to divert more officers to the area to manage numbers.

Inspector Matthew Ward, District Commander for the area, said: 'It is with regret that as a result [...] a closure of Rufford Ford to all vehicle traffic will immediately come into effect on the grounds of safety.

"Increasingly dangerous and irresponsible driving seen at the location which is putting vehicle occupants and viewing public at significant danger."

In one video a woman can be seen getting out her car after getting stuck in the ford (youtube.com/@Jack-Sparrow77)

Mr Clarke said the council had complaints saying they are spoiling "everyone's fun", and added that people don't realise the danger and hazard the ford poses.

"Very quickly things like this can change to a tragedy," he said.

The council said that a replacement bridge was not possible due to the councils budget but that they were looking into traffic calming measures once the ford is reopened.

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