© Copyright Harleston Grapevine 2009

On the weekend of the 17th/18th July, I and others were confronted on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday mornings with the sight of an unacceptable amount of litter strewn all over the Recreation ground.

This comprised bottles, cans, packets, polythene cartons, dirty greaseproof paper, cigarette packets, all left within yards of new waste bins provided by the Council. Some of the paper items had even been set on fire! We assisted the groundsman in clearing up the mess.

I walk my dog around the only green space we have in the town and I find that I no longer want to do this. If I go in the evening, I am put off walking around the two fields because there is inevitably a group of youngsters somewhere whose presence is intimidatory.

My dog was attracted by vomit on the ground, so we now avoid these areas.

There is a new bench donated by the Grapevine that the group has consistently moved from its rightful place to where they want it. And they then proceed to sit on the backs with their feet on the seats. Bottles and cans are thrown at the waste bin and the bin placed on the table with no rubbish in it.

The new shelter provided on the Rec has been defaced and the privet hedge has now been removed after systematic abuse.

These youngsters presumably are the children of our townspeople. Why do they do this? Do their parents know about it, and what's more, do they care? Do the schools include instruction on this behaviour in their curriculum?

Is it not time for us to reclaim our only park for the use of all? Why should our long-suffering groundsman have to endure the morning ritual of picking up the rubbish? No doubt, he has other more important things to do.

I ask myself, what are the authorities doing about this malaise. Do the police really police the area when all this anti social behaviour is taking place? Do we need to start implementation of Sections 87 and 88 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990?* Have our PCSOs issued any fixed penalty orders? What about exclusion orders?

I think it is the only way we will get our park back. What do you think?

Name and address supplied

(*Under section 87 of the 1990 Act it is an offence to throw down, drop or otherwise deposit, and then leave, litter.

*Section 88 allows an authorised officer of a litter authority to issue fixed penalty notices as an alternative to prosecution. – Editor)