Horses spooked by loud bangs in Caithness
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A CAITHNESS crofter yesterday claimed that controversial explosive tests, which have caused loud bangs throughout the Far North, had “an adverse effect” on his newborn foals.
Bob Renshaw, who stays with his wife Jane at Smithy House in Scotscalder, said the blasts near Loch More scared the foals and their mothers.
“They were distressed and upset by what happened. One of the mares – a thoroughbred – stopped feeding a day-old foal for about four to five hours,” Mr Renshaw told the Caithness Courier. “Once it calmed down everything was fine again and the feeding continued but it definitely affected them.
“I was also very upset that these explosive tests were undertaken without the public being notified. If I had known about them I could have made arrangements to take the mares and foals in and been with them when the blasting was being carried out. But I did not know and was unaware that the tests were happening.”
Mr Renshaw, who has a total of nine horses – five mares, two geldings and two foals – as well some sheep, accused Ordnance Test Solutions Ltd of having no regard for the health and safety of the public by not informing them about the tests and then conducting them in secret.
“I am not against the company doing these tests but feel the public should be notified in advance. After all, if the RAF can do that with regard to low-flying exercises why can’t this company do it for explosive tests?” he asked.
Mr Renshaw said that on Thursday at around 5pm there was “a very loud explosion” and his house was hit by a shock wave.
“The blasts were very loud and the effect of the shock wave was considerable considering that our house is built of Caithness stone with walls five feet thick.
“Many people reported the sound of the blast and effects over a large area of Caithness,” said Mr Renshaw.
He later contacted the Northumberland-based company and spoke to a director.
He was told ordnance work was being carried out for a private company. When asked why there had not been public notification of the tests, Mr Renshaw said the director told him that was the responsibility of the landowner.
Mr Renshaw wondered why the tests were so loud and was informed it was due to the adverse effect of low cloud.
“So why was the company conducting tests with high explosives in adverse weather conditions when they knew that it would affect the propagation of the shock wave?” he added.
A spokesman for Ordnance Test Solutions yesterday apologised for any “unacceptable noise” which was caused by the explosions.
“We were not there to make a noise or create a disturbance but to do a job. It is unfortunate that the low cloud did not help our cause,” he said. “We had no feedback at all to the tests which were carried out on Friday and Saturday.”
The spokesman said that, with hindsight, a different approach would have been considered.
He would not disclose the nature of the tests because of confidentiality but added: “They were commercial and not military tests.”
As reported in Friday’s John O’Groat Journal, police were inundated with calls from concerned residents following the blasts.
The blast on Wednesday – described as the loudest in Caithness since the Second World War – was heard in Halkirk and as far away as Thurso. A police spokesman said officers received numerous calls from people concerned about what had happened. Further tests were carried out over the weekend but have now stopped.
