Warning over removal of Bogside bonfire material

A warning has been placed at a site in Derry after wooden pallets were moved there ahead of the annual August 15 bonfire in the Bogside.

Wooden pallets are now being stored outside derelict buildings at the Meenan Square complex which in recent years become a magnet for anti-social behaviour.

Residents living in the area have now called for the empty buildings to be put to use for the surrounding community.

Last year, the bonfire was moved to a green area beside Nailor’s Row close to the city’s walls following an intervention from a number of parties, including the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS), local councillors and community leaders.

It had been hoped that an alternative to the bonfire could be reached this year after a survey by the Housing Executive revealed that the majority of people living close to the bonfire in the Bogside did not want it near their homes.

However, bonfire material has now appeared at the site over the last week, accompanied by a warning (pictured) placed on the roof of the building to those who would seek to remove the wood from the site.

It follows police removing bonfire material in the Galliagh area of the city last week.