A Carshalton resident who documented the ‘absolutely disgusting’ mess left in Beddington Park believes more must be done to protect people’s health and safety.

Graham Fox, who lives near Wrythe Green, found faeces, flies, and nappies in bushes after going for a walk with his dog on May 9.

The 42-year-old published what he found online and wants the static barbecues to be removed, increased enforcement, and more available public toilets.

“After going litter-picking in the park with a friend on May 5, he said: “It was quarter to eight at night and there must have been 150 people in the park, there had got to be 15 to 20 barbecues that weren’t on the statics, and there was just mess everywhere. Absolutely everywhere.

“They’re in the bushes, there’s poo, there are flies, wipes, nappies – everything. It needs an environmental health [team] to go and clear it up.

I went back over there on Wednesday [May 9] to take the dog for a walk, and I thought I’d go and see what it was like in there. It is absolutely disgusting.

“I’ve had reports of people’s dogs going into the bushes and coming out with poo all round their face. If that was a child going in there, there’s all sorts of diseases in human faeces.”

Enforcement officers will be issuing charges from May 21 in Beddington Park following several problems which arose during last summer, according to Sutton Council.

Park users will be subject to a fixed penalty notice (FPN) of up to £80 if found littering, dog fouling, or setting fires, while the static barbecues must now be booked using an online system.

Meanwhile, people have given their views on the Facebook post Mr Fox published with one person saying, ‘Get rid of the BBQs now!’ while another commented ‘It’s such a lovely park, why are people trying to ruin it?’

Mr Fox added: “I’m hoping they go [the static barbecues] because they’re causing more grief than anything. It’s a lovely park and it’s getting ruined.

“It [also] needs policing. Enforcement is no good because they’ve not got the power to do it.

“I spoke to the enforcement bloke and I said, ‘Have you seen the state of those bushes?’ [and he said] ‘Oh there’s nothing we can do about that, that’s down to the police’.

“Well the police cover 80 parks. They’re not there all the time."

Sutton Guardian has approached the council for further comment.