A huge inscribed stone that was a major feature in Bitts Park for years has been removed - because of fears over health and safety.

The circular granite stone - known as the the park's compass - was installed in 2011 and formed part of two intersecting paths, near the park's popular tennis courts. It was inscribed with arrows pointing to The Sands Centre and The Sheepmount.

But at some time in the last few weeks it has been removed, and the resulting hole covered in tarmac.

Council officials say some park users complained that it was slippery when wet. There have also been suggestions that it may have caused accidents.

The move has prompted a lively online debate - and drawn criticism, with some regular park users suggesting it was an overreaction. Peter Stuart, 54, from Stanwix, in the park yesterday walking his dog Pluto, said he was not impressed.

"It's a silly response and in my view an overreaction," he said. "It now looks appalling.

"If they had to remove it, they could at least have replaced it with a perfect circle. The tarmac isn't even flat. What are they going to do next - drain the river because there's a slight chance somebody may fall in?

"They could have put up sign, saying slippery when wet."

Dawn Rousen-Heaton was walking in the park with her grand-daughters Keeley Crawford, eight, and four-year-old Klara Crawford.

Looking at the new patch of tarmac, Dawn said: "It's just horrible. They should put it back because there's a simple solution: if it's slippery when it's wet they could put up a sign and people could just walk round it."

The comments made on Facebook about the issue included this from David Macnaughton: "Probably health and safety knee jerk reaction after the comments that folk were slipping on it towards the end of the Cumbrian Run."

But there was some support for the council's decision to remove the stone.

Adrian Colman wrote: "It was a bit slippery when wet. Maybe someone sued or the council thinks someone would in the future."

Yet another commentator said: "I thought they had removed it to put something on it to make it less slippery. It was lethal in the wet."

A Carlisle City Council spokeswoman said: "The orientation stone has recently been removed and the area has been replaced with tarmac.

"The location of the stone - underneath woodland - was prone to algae and moss. Although we cleaned it on a regular basis, this resulted in it being slippery to walk on.

"Following its removal, it is currently in storage and may be re-used in the future.”