Peace of picture perfect The Archers village 'shattered by shouting and swearing'

The tranquillity of the picturesque West Midlands village that inspired The Archers has been disrupted by the "shouting and swearing" of footballers, causing a stir among residents. Inkberrow is known for its lush greenery and homes with an average price tag of over £500,000.

It's also famed for its Old Bull pub, where Shakespeare himself is said to have enjoyed a pint. But it's also well-known for its connection to the world's longest-running broadcast drama, Radio 4's The Archers, which draws coachloads of tourists.

However, the peace of this idyllic village is not what it once was, say locals - and they say it's being further threatened by expansion plans from the local football team, Inkberrow FC. The club has submitted a proposal to Wychavon District Council to build two new stands, citing a proven need to increase the capacity and sustainability of its existing pitches.

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But some locals are concerned that the club's stadium is becoming too large for the area. One resident likened it to "like having Birmingham City FC's ground in the middle of a little village". Another lamented: "Living in this what was once a quiet idyllic road in a rural village has become like living in a busy city, and our quiet Saturdays and Sundays in our gardens have lost their tranquillity as I'm left listening to shouting and swearing football players," reports Birmingham Live.

Rosie Lee has expressed her concerns about the size of the club in relation to the village between Redditch and Worcester, stating: "This club is growing way too fast for the size of the small rural village we live in. The applications being put in are for a town-sized club's amenities." She lives around the corner and is worried about congestion and insufficient parking.

Lynn Moseley voiced similar concerns, adding: "I feel this football club is asking for more and more. It will be like (having) Birmingham City Football Club's ground in the middle of a little village. I have spoken to other residents in Sands Road as to why they have not commented on this application and was told they are scared to say anything as they didn't want to be alienated in the village."

Inkberrow's first team is part of the Midland Football League Division 2 and there are many divisions of Sporting Club Inkberrow represented across various leagues. The facilities are also used by an assortment of teams including men's, women's and junior football, alongside running clubs and cricket teams.

When asked about the villagers' concerns, the club said: "The planning application we have submitted involves doubling the seating and standing capacity (from 120 currently to 240), and is a mandatory minimum ground standard requirement if our Hellenic league team is successful in gaining promotion to Step 5 of the FA pyramid.

"The team has been in the promotion play-off places for most of the season, won their play-off semi-final last week, and travel to Malmesbury tomorrow night (Fri 26th) for the final. If they win this game then this development will need to go ahead for them to take their place in the higher league. The planning application is currently in the consultation stage which ends on 17 May. To date we believe there have been two responses from the local community."

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