'No Eastern Europeans' sign placed at carp fishing lake by angry landowner who claims they have stolen his fish Eddie Whitehead recently re-stocked his lake with £9,600 of fish The sign has been branded as 'racist' by people walking nearby A fishery owner has defended his decision to put up a sign saying 'no Eastern Europeans'. Eddie Whitehead put the notice up on a lakeside bench at Dog Lane fishery and campsite in Napton-on-the-Hill, Warwickshire. He has been criticised for the 'racist' sign, but Mr Whitehead says he will keep the sign in place, despite not having any evidence about the ethnic background of whoever is stealing his fish. He said: 'I am sure they are Eastern Europeans. I've had no problems with people from other countries. Eddie Whitehead with his sign that has been deemed racist after he put it up on a park bench next to a lake at his fishery Mr Whitehead believes the people taking his fish are Eastern European despite not having any hard evidence 'I haven't got time to sit and watch them to see if they are taking fish. I'm concerned for my own safety too. That's the reason I don't want them. 'I may be breaking the law, but it's livelihood. I've just re-stocked the lake with £9,600 of carp. Every fishery has the same problem. They are breaking the law in England because they are pinching teh fish. Warwickshire county councillor John Appleton, who represents Napton, said: 'I will talk to the owner about the problem of stolen fish. 'If he's had fish stolen, he should report it to the police instead of putting the sign up. Any case of theft should be reported to the police. One walker passing by said: 'It's bizarre, backward and racist. It's the sort of thing you're shocked to see in this day and age. There was someone else in their car looking incredulously at it. 'They've obviously had problems with people taking fish, judging by the other signs they've put up. But you don't expect to see this ignorant, racist kind of thing. He said he was concerned for his safety and could not keep a watch over the lake where he has recently put nearly £10,000 of fish into the water 'Even if they held racist views, I can't understand how they think this is acceptable. I grew up in the village. Our children are between 16 and seven. My ten-year-old was astonished and shocked to see it. 'Some professional firm has produced this sign, it's not just a handwritten poster. Somebody has gone to a great deal of thought to produce it. He said he has reported the sign to the police. Another sign at the private campsite reads: 'We reserve the right to search any vehicles during fishing and when leaving.' The camping site states that anyone caught removing fish from the fishery will be prosecuted.