A celebrated fisherman has spoken out against the "absurd and narrow-minded" removal of fish and banning of anglers from his "pond of dreams".
Chris Yates, who has written a dozen books and appeared on television, was inspired at the age of five when he saw a monster rise out of the depths of Burgh Heath Pond.
The life-changing moment is recorded in his fishing classic, Casting at the Sun, and he still dreams about the pond more than 40 years after he last fished there.
Although Mr Yates is known to be somewhat reclusive these days, he responded immediately when he heard that fish had been removed to deter anti-social anglers causing litter and noise at night.
Mr Yates said: "That insignificant looking pond magicked the most significant event of my childhood, one that set me off on a wonderful path that leads directly to the paradise where I now live, on the Wiltshire/Dorset border.
"I still dream regularly about the little place and, yes, I have been very troubled by rumours of narrow-minded, ignorant local residents who now want to stop any kind of enjoyment of the pond by local and mostly young anglers."
Back in September the Reigate and Banstead council had more than 280 pounds of fish, including carp, goldfish and rudd - all illegally introduced into the pond - removed. Angling is prohibited.
Mr Yates said: "It’s another very depressing and unimaginative act by a local council. I think it’s very sad. If there was a public meeting I would very much like to discuss this matter further.
"I would love to talk to the residents and youngsters and fly the flag for the pond because it started me off on my life. You don’t become interested in nature if there is none to explore. You have to give children the freedom to explore.
"People are always saying there is nowhere for children to go and no facilities for them. You don’t need a youth club when you have a pond like that to fish."
He said residents had already brought about the cutting down of nearly 100-year-old willows that once shaded the north bank and provided a wonderful habitat for waterfowl, amphibians and fish.
He said: "As a very small boy I would go round the pond, we would be wading, splashing, making boats. One day I saw this monster rise up in the middle of the pond. It looked gigantic."
A short time later while walking on the bank with his father, a fisherman showed them his catch of carp. Mr Yates said: "It was the same unbelievable thing.
"It was like discovering a pit of dragons in the backyard. That was the spark. It was like a spark on petrol and I was a fisherman."
Mark Lancaster, Epsom Angling Society’s marketing officer, said: "It’s a famous pond and a historic place. It’s a shame they [the council] have done that. It should have been a last resort.
"It’s not hard to police that particular place because it has got houses all around it. They have jumped the gun here and are not accepting responsibility for looking after the pond."
Robin Davis, parks and countryside manager at the council, said: "There has never been an agreement for authorised fishing in the pond.
"However, the reason behind the removal of fish last year was to deter fishermen who had disturbed local residents with anti-social behaviour, mainly during the night."
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