It's neo-vandalism

Crushed cans and bottle tops stamped into the ground are lethal to wildlife and can be a hazard to children playing on the park.

For those who leave such enormous amounts of wreckage to mark their temporary enjoyment of the local parks, I would ask how they would respond if strangers entered their house and set fire to carpets and left a trail of food waste and other rubbish all over.

The local parks are a much-valued feature within Bognor Regis yet short-term neo-vandalism goes unchecked in the pursuit of alfresco eating.

The dreaded portable barbecues have been much in evidence making the local parks look like a gathering of the tribes. Plumes of smoke and the odour of roasting cow have been all too evident.

The supplementary items such as drinks cans, bottles, bottle tops, food wrapping are also all present with little or no attempt to clear up.

The local authorities seem unwilling or unable to intervene to minimise this problem.

They seem angst ridden and concerned over these issues but do precious little to intervene and constrain the problem.

Some serious signage to constrain the location of itinerant barbecue enthusiasts from the main grass areas on the parks might help, together with enforcement of litter laws.

The case for some old-fashioned park keepers might well be made to minimise the problems that seem to be repeated every year.

West Park has looked like a litter-strewn tip because of the unthinking action of a minority who seem to put personal enjoyment and indifference ahead of any concerns for the ramifications of their actions.

The retailers of the portable/disposable barbecues might also have a shot put across their collective bows.

Phil Mortimer

Bognor Regis