- Residents of Castle Combe in the Cotswolds, known as “the prettiest village in England,” are calling for a ban on tourist drones after incidents of privacy invasion, including one report of a resident being filmed while taking a bath.
- “No drone zone” signs have been posted across the village, including on homes, the local church, and the public car park, due to constant drone flights over gardens and streets.
- A retired police officer, Hilary Baker, reported that some visitors have lost their moral compass, recounting incidents of drones hovering over gardens and near bathroom windows, leading to verbal abuse when residents ask pilots to stop.
- Police were called last month on a drone pilot who verbally abused locals and allegedly filmed children playing in a back garden; Wiltshire Council has since put up signs warning drone pilots about violating privacy guidelines.
- A survey by the parish council chairman, Fred Winup, revealed that over half of tourists visit Castle Combe after seeing it online, with many influenced by social media posts on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, leading to increased drone usage and privacy concerns.
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