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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Branscombe picks up the pieces | Branscombe picks up the pieces |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| By Jon Kelly BBC News The sleepy Devon village of Branscombe was overrun by scavengers in January when cargo from a stricken ship washed up on its beach. The intruders may be long gone, but the community is still coming to terms with its brief moment in the world's media spotlight. | |
| The narrow lanes may now be quiet and the beach clear of eager-eyed incomers hunting for spoils. | The narrow lanes may now be quiet and the beach clear of eager-eyed incomers hunting for spoils. |
| But Branscombe feels as though is has been turned on its head by a sea gale and then dropped again. | But Branscombe feels as though is has been turned on its head by a sea gale and then dropped again. |
| In January, scavengers spent two nights swarming through its streets to plunder the Napoli's containers of everything from BMW motorbikes to packets of cat food. | In January, scavengers spent two nights swarming through its streets to plunder the Napoli's containers of everything from BMW motorbikes to packets of cat food. |
| 'Just indecent' | 'Just indecent' |
| For the 523 villagers left behind, those hours still loom large. | For the 523 villagers left behind, those hours still loom large. |
| For us, this was a siege situation Cllr Margaret Rogers Public help in the clean-up | For us, this was a siege situation Cllr Margaret Rogers Public help in the clean-up |
| Margaret Rogers, Branscombe's local county councillor, tells of the damage inflicted - the looted gardens, the broken fences, not to mention the litter and debris still being cleared from the beach. | Margaret Rogers, Branscombe's local county councillor, tells of the damage inflicted - the looted gardens, the broken fences, not to mention the litter and debris still being cleared from the beach. |
| Over a mug of tea in the front room of her cottage, her quiet fury at the invaders who shattered her village's calm is still raw. | Over a mug of tea in the front room of her cottage, her quiet fury at the invaders who shattered her village's calm is still raw. |
| "I've never seen such an unsavoury lot in my life," she grimaces. "I didn't get the impression that most of them were thugs in the beating-people-up-sense, but the manner in which they took over the village was just indecent. | "I've never seen such an unsavoury lot in my life," she grimaces. "I didn't get the impression that most of them were thugs in the beating-people-up-sense, but the manner in which they took over the village was just indecent. |
| "For us, this was a siege situation. A lot of elderly people in the village were terrified." | "For us, this was a siege situation. A lot of elderly people in the village were terrified." |
| But the hordes who came to the beach were not all outsiders. Far from it. | But the hordes who came to the beach were not all outsiders. Far from it. |
| 'Hoo-ha' | 'Hoo-ha' |
| Jamie Wardrop, 25, from nearby Sidmouth, was one of the first on the scene. With the help of two friends he managed to get hold of a BMW motorbike, which is now stored in a secret location. | Jamie Wardrop, 25, from nearby Sidmouth, was one of the first on the scene. With the help of two friends he managed to get hold of a BMW motorbike, which is now stored in a secret location. |
| Sleepy Branscombe some time before its rude awakening | |
| He bristles at the notion that he was some kind of barbarian invader. His very British brand of scavenging was, he assures you, done entirely by the book. | He bristles at the notion that he was some kind of barbarian invader. His very British brand of scavenging was, he assures you, done entirely by the book. |
| "I've not had one person from round here have a go at me. Everyone tells me, 'Good on you,'" he says. "I made sure I filled in all the forms for the Receiver of Wreck's office. | "I've not had one person from round here have a go at me. Everyone tells me, 'Good on you,'" he says. "I made sure I filled in all the forms for the Receiver of Wreck's office. |
| "If they tell me to give it back, fair enough. But if not, you can hardly blame me." | "If they tell me to give it back, fair enough. But if not, you can hardly blame me." |
| In all, 17 motorcycles were taken from containers washed up off the wreck - 13 have been reported to authorities, and last week police seized two in east Devon. | In all, 17 motorcycles were taken from containers washed up off the wreck - 13 have been reported to authorities, and last week police seized two in east Devon. |
| If Jamie was careful to stay on the right side of the law, Pc Steve Speariett has every cause to be grateful. Branscombe's own community police officer admits the village has yet to recover. | If Jamie was careful to stay on the right side of the law, Pc Steve Speariett has every cause to be grateful. Branscombe's own community police officer admits the village has yet to recover. |
| It was a short interval of bedlam and anarchy, but it only lasted 24 hours Barbara Farquarson | It was a short interval of bedlam and anarchy, but it only lasted 24 hours Barbara Farquarson |
| "This is the sort of place that people normally come to enjoy peace and quiet. It's happy to be a backwater," he says. | "This is the sort of place that people normally come to enjoy peace and quiet. It's happy to be a backwater," he says. |
| "So after the hoo-ha has died down, the visitors all go away - but the villagers are left behind feeling dazed." | "So after the hoo-ha has died down, the visitors all go away - but the villagers are left behind feeling dazed." |
| Not everyone in Branscombe is hostile to the scavengers, however. | Not everyone in Branscombe is hostile to the scavengers, however. |
| Retired archaeology professor Barbara Farquarson, 67, is more philosophical about the experience - even though she had three wheelbarrows and a wheelie bin stolen from her garden. | Retired archaeology professor Barbara Farquarson, 67, is more philosophical about the experience - even though she had three wheelbarrows and a wheelie bin stolen from her garden. |
| "I saw a bloke wheeling a barrow down to the beach and I thought, that looks familiar," she frowns. "At the same time, though, I think there were a lot of grey areas. Where does legitimate hunting end and looting begin? | "I saw a bloke wheeling a barrow down to the beach and I thought, that looks familiar," she frowns. "At the same time, though, I think there were a lot of grey areas. Where does legitimate hunting end and looting begin? |
| "It was a short interval of bedlam and anarchy, but it only lasted 24 hours. I'm glad I was part of this amazing historical moment." | "It was a short interval of bedlam and anarchy, but it only lasted 24 hours. I'm glad I was part of this amazing historical moment." |
| 'Double-edged' | 'Double-edged' |
| It still doesn't feel like we've got our village back John Bass | It still doesn't feel like we've got our village back John Bass |
| The beach itself is not yet clear - although clean-up efforts have been redoubled in the hope that the east Devon coastline will be back to normal for visitors over the Easter weekend. | The beach itself is not yet clear - although clean-up efforts have been redoubled in the hope that the east Devon coastline will be back to normal for visitors over the Easter weekend. |
| And there's no doubt Branscombe's name is on the map - a point that hasn't escaped John Bass, community council chairman, who had condemned the scavengers "vultures" on the day they first descended. | And there's no doubt Branscombe's name is on the map - a point that hasn't escaped John Bass, community council chairman, who had condemned the scavengers "vultures" on the day they first descended. |
| His view has ever so slightly softened. | His view has ever so slightly softened. |
| "It's been a double-edged sword - it's put us on the map, so we might attract more tourists," he admits. "But with the massive beach clear-up, it still doesn't feel like we've got our village back yet." | "It's been a double-edged sword - it's put us on the map, so we might attract more tourists," he admits. "But with the massive beach clear-up, it still doesn't feel like we've got our village back yet." |
| Looking back, postmistress Rosina Knowles, 62, is also sanguine about the experience. Business actually picked up during the scavengers' brief reign. | Looking back, postmistress Rosina Knowles, 62, is also sanguine about the experience. Business actually picked up during the scavengers' brief reign. |
| "They were all tired and hungry from trundling their barrels up the hill, so they'd pop in here for a roll and a soft drink," she recalls. | "They were all tired and hungry from trundling their barrels up the hill, so they'd pop in here for a roll and a soft drink," she recalls. |
| It will take Branscombe a while longer yet, it seems, before it can allow the scavengers to fade from memory. | It will take Branscombe a while longer yet, it seems, before it can allow the scavengers to fade from memory. |
Add your comments on this story, using the form below. | Add your comments on this story, using the form below. |