SHERLOCK Holmes enthusiasts are stumped after Croydon Council intervened to stop them holding an unofficial ceremony to name a South Norwood lake.
The South Norwood Tourist Board is planning to hold a pagan ceremony on February 1 to christen the unnamed lake in South Norwood Country Park as Lake Conan Doyle.
But Tony Brooks, the council's head of public safety, has written to the SNTB telling them the event is not allowed to go ahead because the necessary consultation has not been conducted.
He also said he could not sanction the event, which is part of the SNTB's efforts to recognise Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's links to the area.
However, Ian Bone, SNTB associate, said the event would go ahead as planned.
Mr Bone said: "It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. It's probably going to be ten blokes dressed up as Sherlock Holmes in the cold next to a lake and they want to put a stop to it.
"Surely they've got better things to be doing than this. This is nuts."
The SNTB has invited the star of Sherlock, Benedict Cumberbatch, to the event and are hosting it at the same time as a pagan festival called Imbolc.
The group has been trying to gauge community opinion for months and held a poll to decide what to call the lake.
Conan Doyle lived on Tennison Road and wrote 'The Final Problem' at the address.
