GOLFERS are being urged to play safe and restrict their practice to the course or the driving range.

The call to avoid parks and playing fields, because of the threat of injury to park users as well as damage to property, comes from St Helens Council's Portfolio Member for Sport and Culture, Linda Maloney. It follows a growing number of complaints, especially about the number of youngsters playing golf in parks and open places.

In recent years a baby narrowly missed serious injury when a golf ball flew past its head as it slept in its pram in a garden and a pet dog was injured by a golf ball while being taken for a walk by its owner.

Says Linda: "This is a borough-wide problem and we have received complaints from the public and from householders overlooking parks and public places about golfers using them to practice the sport. It's a fact that in the past people walking in parks have been injured by golf balls, including one incident in which a girl was blinded in one eye. In addition, windows on properties overlooking the parks have been damaged. We want to avoid serious injury and damage to adults, children, pets and property".