LITTERING in an area of natural beauty has “horrified” a city councillor who wants the people doing it to take more responsibility for their actions.

Broken bottles and discarded takeaway packaging is amongst the litter being found at Rickerby Park in Carlisle, the area is home to cattle and is a popular haunt for families and dog walkers.

Carlisle City Councillor for Stanwix Elizabeth Mallinson said: “I’m absolutely horrified, I’ve had three residents phone me up. It should have been cleared up but having said that it shouldn’t be there in the first place.

“This anti-social behaviour is beyond the pale now. We’ve got livestock go in there, dogs go in there. My grandchildren go in there. We all love our pets and the last thing I want to see is a dog with a cut paw or even more serious than that.”

“It’s just sheer wanton vandalism if people have got no better way to spend time than smash bottles where there’s livestock…it’s unbelievable. It costs a lot of money to clean up.”

A spokesperson for Friends of Rickerby Park, a group of volunteers who give their time to help maintain it, has asked the public to respect the area of natural beauty.

They said: “The Friends of Rickerby Park asks you to be responsible and put your rubbish in the bins provided around the park and if they are full take it home and bin it.

“If everyone disposed of their litter responsibly what a lovely park and city we would have to enjoy.”

Councillor Mallinson is all too familiar with the issue of anti-social behaviour in Carlisle, particularly in Rickerby Park and the surrounding areas.

“I’m sad to say it is the younger generation. Not all under 25s are like that by any stretch of the imagination. We’ve got wonderful young people playing rugby, cricket and football, doing volunteer work.”

Councillor Mallinson believes that anti-social behaviour and littering is a societal issue.

“Police do what they can but they’re only as good as the information they get. Green Spaces are concious of that and patrolling the parks including Talkin Tarn we’re emptying out bins more often, we’ve got extra bags going in, I don’t know what more we can do, as a society we need to take ownership of this.

“The responsibility to keep the planet safe is down to every single one of us and littering is a problem for all of us.”

Carlisle City Council and partner groups are working to tackle the issues with anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

Councillor Mallinson is chairman of the North Cumbria Community Safety Partnership - a multiagency group that meets weekly to discuss issues effecting the area.

The council’s all electric surveillance vans are also patrolling in Carlisle for enviro-crimes.