Park-goers fear for children's safety after drug paraphernalia and litter is found strewn across Northampton fields

Radlands skate-park in Bedford Road has been hit by a spate of litter including takeaway wrappers and syringes, which parents believe is an unsafe environment for their children to play in.

But the borough council says town centre parks, including Midsummer Meadows, are monitored by neighbourhood wardens and park rangers to ensure they are clean and safe spaces to visit.

But mum, Liz Murphy of Kingsthorpe, whose two young boys play there, said: "The skate park is for everyone, but it's now turning into an absolute pit. The last time we came was a few weeks ago, we think it's got worse.

"You're keeping your children safe by watching them, putting their helmets on, but you don't know what they are stepping on.

"What do we do?" She asked. "Who is going to support parents and the owner of the cafe?"

A member of staff from the Outpost Cafe, who doesn't wish to be named, said despite an infra-red camera being installed in the park to identify offenders he still cleans up takeaway wrappers every day, which has been strewed across the park overnight.

He said: "We have families come in, but when they see the mess they go away, especially the broken glass and youths smoking cannabis in the late afternoons.

"It's unsafe for some of the younger kids. The litter we clean up every day, ourselves."

He said the park has had problems with nearby campers who have been using syringes as well as youngsters practising handbrake turns in the field and tearing up the grass.

The reports of littering at Midsummer Meadows come after several complaints abut Northampton's green areas this weekend.

Reader Rachel Holliday contacted the paper to complain about the state Abington Park was left in following the sunny weather, tweeting a picture of the park covered in rubbish.

She said: "What is wrong with people that they can't enjoy our parks responsibly and have respect for those using them afterwards?"

A spokesperson for Northampton Borough Council said: “It’s fantastic that so many people come and enjoy the town’s parks and we know that they were particularly busy this weekend with the lovely weather.

"The majority of residents do a great job clearing up their rubbish and we will continue to evaluate the number of bins needed and how often they are emptied on a regular basis. However, for the small minority of people who leave litter behind and spoil the appearance of our public areas, increasing clean-up costs, we are currently looking into extending our enforcement areas.

"In the meantime, we urge people to clean up after themselves by making use of the park bins, which are emptied on a regular basis even at weekends, or by taking their rubbish home.”