A MOTHER has launched a campaign to get her local park cleaned up.

People living near Broomfield Park, Romanby, believe it poses a serious health and safety risk.

In addition to litter, smashed bottles, used needles and syringes, gas canisters uch as those used to power air rifles have been found there.

During a recent crackdown on underage drinkers there, police seized 66 bottles of alcohol, gave warnings to teenagers and informed their parents.

In 2006, human waste was found smeared on a slide. Claire Hampson made the discovery while her sons, William and Oliver, then three and seven months, were playing there.

She is now trying to get councils to take a more active approach to the park.

She has distributed 200 leaflets to nearby residents, has been liaising with Romanby Parish Council and local police, and has set up an email address to enable residents to share their concerns.

She said: "The increase in broken glass recently, particularly under the swings, slide and other play equipment, led me to set up an email address.

"I have had a good response with a variety of people emailing me to show their support - parents with small children, residents who live right next to the park who are often disturbed by the noise, also dog-walkers who are fed up of their pets' feet getting cut by the broken glass.

"Quite a lot of people have been picking up the litter and glass themselves and maybe masking the true extent of the problem.

"It will get worse over the coming months with the finer weather, and it needs to be responded to before then, maybe by declaring the park an alcohol-free zone or the expensive, but beneficial option, of a closed-circuit television camera."

Councils are trying to tackle the problem.

About a year ago, a group was set up to resolve the problems. It includes representatives from Romanby Parish Council, Hambleton District Council, North Yorkshire County Council and the police.

David Blades, the Hambleton district councillor for the Broomfield area, said: "Maybe we need cameras to try and catch the people doing this. There are some good teenagers. It is just the minority that is causing the problem."