Their peaceful and serene waters attract more than seven million visitors a year. But it seems these are turbulent times on the Broads.

The Broads Authority has revealed plans to issue staff with body-worn cameras to deal with a rising tide of abusive and violent behaviour on the waterways.

It has launched a trial which will see the devices given to rangers who patrol the rivers by boat, as well as quay rangers, who monitor moorings, and officers involved in planning issues.

Officials hope the cameras will help to discourage anti-social and abusive behaviour, and will help gather evidence for use in prosecutions.

The cameras' introduction follows a series of high-profile incidents on the waterways and a period when the BA has come under increasing scrutiny and criticism.

Emmerson denied threatening and abusive behaviour and theft (Image: Newsquest)In April, William Emmerson, 35, appeared in court accused of painting a string of four-letter insults and Nazi references towards the authority on his houseboat as part of a protest.

​When a Broads ranger confronted him he was threatened and told it was a “f****** art installation”.

The fishermen were pictured kicking the boat awayThe fishermen were pictured kicking the boat away (Image: Norfolk Broads Forum YouTube) In the same month, police investigated an incident at Irstead Staithe where a pair of foul-mouthed fishermen were filmed in a row with a boater, kicking his cruiser as he attempted to moor.

And last month, we reported how rival tourist traders got into a violent bust-up near Wroxham Bridge.

At the same time, there has been underlying tensions among devotees of the Broads, between so-called 'navvies' - who are concerned primarily with maintaining navigation on the waterways and supporting boating activities - and 'parkies', who are more focused on fulfilling national park obligations, such as conservation and promoting the area.

The two factions have clashed on several issues and the row has led to strong criticism of the way the BA is run.

A spokesman for the Broads Authority said: “We are grateful that the majority of our interactions with the public are polite and courteous, however in light of the rising incidents of violent and abusive behaviours towards our staff, we have decided to commence a body-worn camera (BWC) trial.

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“We hope that BWCs will reduce the likelihood of negative interactions and provide suitable evidence should we need to bring any incidents forward for prosecution."

A Broads Authority ranger stands next to the water's edgeA Broads Authority ranger stands next to the water's edge (Image: Broads Authority)

Full information on the trial and ongoing public consultation can be found on the Broads Authority website, including a data protection assessment.

The pilot will end on August 30 and the consultation will close on September 13.