Drugs paraphernalia collected in Nelson park clean-up (From This Is Lancashire)

Drugs paraphernalia collected in Nelson park clean-up

12:00pm Thursday 6th September 2012 in News By Tyrone Marshall, Reporter

BIN bags full of drugs paraphernalia have been collected from a Nelson park by volunteers.

A councillor is now calling for action at Marsden Park to crack down on its use as a drugs den.

Coun Tommy Cooney said items like syringes could be found at the park every weekend and it was putting people off going in.

He said: “I have worked closely with the Friends of Marsden Park and they have done collections where they have had a full bin bag of different drugs paraphernalia.

“It is clear that the park is being used for drugs and for drug taking and action needs to be taken. When people see this going on in the park and find this sort of rubbish on the floor, they are going to be put off.

“The friends group do collections of rubbish and do a great job in keeping the park tidy, but I would like to see more police patrols around the park to stop it happening in the first place.

“I am working with the Friends of Marsden Park to try to increase usage of the park but it makes it difficult when things like this are happening.”

Marsden Park, whose grounds date from 1555, won another Green Flag award in 2012, the fifth time it has scooped the national standard award for parks since 2008.

Coun Cooney said: “It is a Green Flag park and it is popular but it should be even better if we can stop this sort of behaviour.

“There is also an issue with people drinking alcohol in the park, which causes problems with anti-social behaviour and litter, and can also be off-putting for anybody looking to use the park.”