COMMONERS are adopting a 'wait and see' policy on what happens after the Forest council secured an interim injunction against James Awdry in Bream.

A statement from the council said the public nuisance injunction "requires him to keep his and his family's sheep out of the village's residential areas."

However speaking for the Commoners Mr Mick Holder said it remained to be seen how the injunction would work.

He also questioned its cost when it ostensibly granted the same rights already won at the High Court concerning James' father Jeremy Awdry at a cost of £160,000 in 2007.

"It is all very well to win the injunction but it remains to be seen how they are going to police it," said Mr Holder.

"Also, it is only an interim injunction and they appear to be continuing to seek a full injunction which will add another £5,000 to the costs. I can't see them ever recovering this money, and we question why they are doing it. Surely the council has more pressing business than looking after a few sheep."

Mr Holder said people were already ringing him from Bream asking what the Commoners' Association was now going to do about the sheep in the village.

"The injunction has been taken out by the council, not the Association. In effect they have taken on the responsibilty for the sheep," he said.

Giving the background to the injunction, the Forest of Dean District Council stated that James Awdry took ownership of the sheep from his father, Jeremy Awdry, after the latter was prohibited from keeping sheep in the village as part of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order.

"The injunction will remain in force until a full hearing which will be scheduled to be held over the coming weeks," said the council.

"In recent months, the Environmental Health Department had received 70 complaints from residents about sheep in the ownership of Mr James Awdry. Environmental Health Officers investigated and found that the sheep were allowed to wander daily without control through the village, leaving droppings and urine on pavements, ripping open bin bags and destroying garden plants."

Group manager for Environmental Services, Roger Garbett, said: "The tradition of grazing sheep in the Statutory Forest comes with special responsibilities, including minimising nuisance in the settlements.

"The Forestry Commission, Commoners Association and Council have tried to persuade James Awdry to shepherd his sheep more responsibly but to no avail."