'It looks like a landfill site' - Communities' despair as Leeds beauty spots are repeatedly trashed

Volunteers have spoken of their horror and devastation as much-loved beauty spots across the city have been left repeatedly trashed through anti-social behaviour.
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As the warm weather continues and the coronavirus lockdown restrictions begin to ease, community groups and members of the public say they have been compelled to step in to help protect their local areas after witnessing a rise in issues such as littering, social gatherings and noise.

At the weekend, the Yorkshire Evening Post reported how members of Friends of Roundhay Park were "outraged" at the levels of litter left in the north Leeds attraction.

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They now describe the situation as the "worst it's ever been" with parts of the park looking like a "landfill site" as well as 4x4s and quad bikes racing on Soldiers' Field, where groups regularly gather of an evening, and reports of children and parents using the out-of-bounds playground area.

Some of the litter left at Roundhay Park.Some of the litter left at Roundhay Park.
Some of the litter left at Roundhay Park.

Martin Child, who co-ordinates the litter-picking volunteers for Friends of Roundhay Park, said: "I have never seen the park so consistently bad as it is at the moment. My wife and I went up one side of Soldiers' Field yesterday and collected seven bags of rubbish. We met two other volunteers and they had collected a number of bags too - and that's just one section of Soldiers' Field. It's absolutely appalling."

The volunteers are also fearing for their health, having to pick up discarded dirty nappies, ripped apart by foxes and other wildlife, as well as broken bottles, wipes and empty food trays.

"There are a lot of baby wipes that have clearly been used for toileting children and, I think in the wooded areas, adults as well," Martin said.

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He added: "When you go down and look back at where you've been and instead of looking like a landfill site it looks like field, it's very satisfying. But we are all very frustrated.

Isabel Surtees' dog Skye who cut her foot on some broken glass at Ardsley Reservoir in Tingley.Isabel Surtees' dog Skye who cut her foot on some broken glass at Ardsley Reservoir in Tingley.
Isabel Surtees' dog Skye who cut her foot on some broken glass at Ardsley Reservoir in Tingley.

"This park is a brilliant facility and people come because they're stressed and...desperate to get out in open air but they come to this amazing place - and defile it, and defile it substantially.

"It shocks me every time. To think you can come, change your baby's nappy, have a picnic, not socially distance, put everyone's life at risk, putting the NHS at risk, polluting the place - and just walk away from it? It just staggers me."

In south Leeds, Ardsley Reservoir has been a target for antisocial behaviour, with police forced to issue a plea at the weekendregarding a surge in littering as well as warning about the water's dangers after a girl had to be rescued by emergency services.

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But already this week, 19-year-old friends Demi Hidle and Isabel Surtees say they have been cleaning up the site themselves after Isabel's dog Skye cut her foot on some broken glass on Saturday.

Martin Child, who co-ordinates the litter picking volunteers at Friends of Roundhay Park.Martin Child, who co-ordinates the litter picking volunteers at Friends of Roundhay Park.
Martin Child, who co-ordinates the litter picking volunteers at Friends of Roundhay Park.

Demi posted on Facebook that after a trip to the vets, they visited again on Monday to remove some rubbish before returning on Tuesday morning armed with bin bags and gloves. She wrote: "We were stunned to see the amount of litter had doubled. From 8am til 12pm we were collecting rubbish," adding: "After doing just half we had run out of bags."

Local community volunteers Samantha Tinsdale and Maree Barugh also also organised a litter pick at the reservoir on Wednesday morning to help tackle the issue and filled 40 bags with rubbish.

Elsewhere, Friends of Temple Newsam Park urged people to ring the police to report any anti-social behaviour after receiving "multiple" reports from visitors about people disregarding social distancing rules, fouling in the woods due to the toilets being closed, cyclists speeding through the park, noisy gatherings, litter and drivers using the car park as a "race track".

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Chairman Liz Hayes said it has been a sad reminder of similar issues in the park's past, adding: "Temple Newsam has been and is now a haven for visitors from all over the world and it is so sad to see evidenced some peoples disregard, causing all the previous problems to occur again."

Some of the bags of rubbish Demi Hidle, 19, and Isabel Surtees, 19, picked up at Ardsley Reservoir in south Leeds.Some of the bags of rubbish Demi Hidle, 19, and Isabel Surtees, 19, picked up at Ardsley Reservoir in south Leeds.
Some of the bags of rubbish Demi Hidle, 19, and Isabel Surtees, 19, picked up at Ardsley Reservoir in south Leeds.

Sara Dawson, another member of Friends of Roundhay Park, said: "I just think people are fed up and have nowhere else to go and are using and abusing the park. It's just a general lack of respect. I can't understand why in this day and age people just aren't taking their rubbish home.

"It's hard to know what to do, to be honest. But it's the worst it's every been at the moment, it's disgusting."

A spokeswoman for Leeds City Council said the recent easing of lockdown measures and warm weather has led to an "astonishing increase" in the number of people using parks across Leeds.

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She said: “While the significant majority of people are acting responsibly, there has been some antisocial behaviour and a huge amount of litter left behind by less responsible members of the public.

“Our gardening staff are working extremely hard to empty bins and pick up litter, not just at Roundhay Park but across all our parks in Leeds, however as you would expect, our numbers are currently depleted due to many being off work in line with government guidance."

She added the council "echoes the call to please keep your parks clean and safe and take your rubbish home with you when you leave".

Local community volunteers Samantha Tinsdale and Maree Barugh alsoalso organised a litter pick at Ardsley Reservoiron Wednesday morning to help tackle the issue and filled 40 bags with rubbish.Local community volunteers Samantha Tinsdale and Maree Barugh alsoalso organised a litter pick at Ardsley Reservoiron Wednesday morning to help tackle the issue and filled 40 bags with rubbish.
Local community volunteers Samantha Tinsdale and Maree Barugh alsoalso organised a litter pick at Ardsley Reservoiron Wednesday morning to help tackle the issue and filled 40 bags with rubbish.

Regarding the Roundhay Park situation, Insp Richard Horn, who heads the Leeds North East Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Officers have been on patrol in Roundhay Park over the weekend and will be continuing to pay attention to the area, particularly during the continued hot weather which has seen increased numbers of people visiting the park and other public open spaces.

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“We will continue to engage with people and take positive action where necessary to address any anti-social behaviour that impacts on others.”

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