Call to tackle litter and bad behaviour at park

A group has urged a council to take action on littering and antisocial behaviour in a 140-year-old city park.

Protect Our Parks Portsmouth said the issues at Canoe Lake had become increasingly worse and residents' concerns were being ignored.

More than 4,800 people have backed a petition by the collective that urges Portsmouth City Council to do more to protect the site.

The council said it had introduced several measures already - including CCTV - and that it would review whether further action was required.

Dave Tek, from Protect Our Parks, told BBC Radio Solent it was time to act before things deteriorated further.

"It's been going on for years and gradually getting worse," he said.

"Residents have been trying to speak to the council for years about this and they've been totally ignored."

The group's petition includes calls to increase enforcement in the area and ban barbecues to protect swans.

"We'd love the council to listen to the residents of Portsmouth, to maybe reallocate the money from taxpayers to areas like enforcement," Tek continued.

"It's a free-for-all out there. You can do practically what you want and it's not on."

The council said it understood the concerns and shared its ambition to keep the park clean and safe for the community.

The authority noted the recent installation of CCTV in the park and said it had responded swiftly to prevent unauthorised vehicle access after an incident in April.

A spokesperson said: "As we gather information over the spring and summer, we'll review whether further measures are required, including around the use of barbecues, and will discuss our feedback with residents.

"Community involvement plays an important role in helping us care for spaces like Canoe Lake."

They added that council teams already conduct regular maintenance work in the area and promote responsible behaviour.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has been approached for comment.