A PRIVATE school in Worcester has been criticised for blocking off a popular route for city centre walkers – without its headteacher and CEO knowing about it. King’s School has taken away a stile and built up fencing to block the route through its field from Slingpool Walk to Chapter Meadows, heading towards Diglis. A second wire fence has been erected a matter of feet in front of that but some level of access appears to have been restored after the top two levels of wire were cut. Chapter Meadows is an area managed by Duckworth Worcestershire Trust, an organisation which has been in touch with Councillor Richard Udall, who represents Worcester St John’s on Worcestershire County Council. The alternatives to reach Chapter Meadows are to walk around the school field or follow a sodden, slippy route through an unmanaged grassy area that would leave walkers covered in mud.