Woodhouse Moor at Hyde Park was left with piles of rubbish five feet high on walkways and alongside skips as well as scattered bottles, cans and disposable barbecues.

Empty bottles were hammered neck-down into the turf, branches torn from trees, fencing torn up for fuel for bonfires and vegetables stolen from allotments to cook on barbecues.

Three council gardeners who turned up to cut grass instead had to join the moor's warden in clearing up.

The damage follws last weekend's trashing of the Mandela Gardens in Millennium Square by young people involved in a mass water fight.

Residents living near Woodhouse Moor say the revellers were mainly young people and some are calling on the city's two universities to take action.

Police increased patrols in Hyde Park at the weekend.

Woodhouse Moor in inner-city Leeds is used by thousands of local people – parents with children, dog walkers, kick-around footballers, picnickers, runners, and people who simply enjoy the space in sunny weather.

But today residents could not even let their dogs off the leash for fear of injury from broken glass.

Rose Campbell, 21, a music student, said: "It is disgusting. Students who did this have a responsibility to clear up. It's like being on a rubbish tip."

A University of Leeds spokeswoman said: "This kind of vandalism is completely unacceptable and we will take action on any evidence provided of involvement by our students. Specific guidance was issued last week about fires and barbecue regulations and reminding our students to think of others who share the park facilities."

Peggy Cunningham, 79, lives nearby and walks her dog daily on the moor. "It is dreadful – broken bottles, things burned all over the place. I'm frightened to let my dog off the lead.

"They have ruined the allotments. There's no stopping them. The keepers and gardeners keep this park lovely, but this is just destruction."

Rick Witt, 50, who also lives nearby, said: "There are so many knock-on effects. Queues of people urinating into the allotments, stealing vegetables from the allotments to cook, breaking down fences."

His son underwent micro-surgery after falling on broken glass while playing football on the park. "He spent two days in hospital. Several dogs have been injured. One of the park staff was injured this morning."

Tanya Robinson, 38, takes her daughters aged 12 and 16 months to the moor. "I usually let the baby have a little walk but I can't let her walk in this. Would they do this in Hyde Park in London? I don't think so."

The three gardeners clearing up the mess were Graham Squires, Clive Allen and Akbar Ali. One said: "It's like a festival every day. They jam bottles into the ground. It is like a booby trap for the mowers."

One of the workers tore his hand on a disposable barbecue.