Drug-using, littering and anti-social behaviour is making life unbearable for residents in a Cirencester.

Thistle Patch park in Chesterton is a popular location amongst young children and dog walkers in the area.

Last Monday, Cirencester mum Charlotte Howlett was approached by a nine-year-old boy from the wooded area in the park who gave her a knife.

She was told that ‘there was bigger boys with other sharp things in the trees’.

Her husband went to investigate, and although the boys were nowhere to be found, he did find a saw and scissors on the ground.

Charlotte said: “Action does need to be taken immediately because currently our local park which is a few minutes’ walk from our house is not a safe place to take my young daughter.

“Friends of mine agree and people have stopped using it. There was an incident where heroin needles were found in the same place last week.

“It is a real sad shame because the park should be safe and a happy place to be when you are a three-year-old girl.

Roly Hughes, Cirencester Town Councillor for Chesterton, says the situation is ‘getting out of hand’ and is calling for a clampdown on the incidents at the park.

He said: “We are having a bout of litter problems and small bonfires being lit in Chesterton by the teen shelter and the picnic benches in the play park. There is a saying, if you abuse it you lose it, and it’s getting abused.

“Every time I take a walk round this area, I get complaints from the residents, dog walkers and parents who live close by. I went over last Monday and thought ‘What a mess’.

“It has been going on for months now. It’s a lovely area and it’s being ruined.”

Sergeant Andy Wood from the Cotswolds Neighbourhood Policing Team said that they had not received any reports from residents but encouraged them to do so.

He said: “Patrols have been carried out in the area and apart from the report of a knife being found which will be followed up, the Cirencester Neighbourhood Policing Team have not received any other reports of anti social behaviour from local residents in relation to parks in Chesterton.

“The team would like to urge residents to please report any incidents of anti-social behaviour by calling 101 or speaking to your local officer- details on how to do this can be found here: bit.ly/2mm8gzh.

“We are also asking anyone who has information in relation to a knife being found in Springfield Road park to please submit this by calling 101 and quoting incident 275 of September 17.”