Broken glass and discarded charcoal from barbecues are causing injuries in Wimbledon, according to a new petition.

It is calling for barbecues to be banned in Wimbledon Park and has already gathered 300 signatures.

And it claims that locals are being deprived of using the park on warmer days due to “disruption and disrespect caused mostly by non-locals using barbecues”.

It goes on to add that dogs and children are picking up broken glass, discarded food, chicken bones and discarded charcoal, “causing injuries and poisoning”.

And when the bins are full, bags left by them are ripped open by foxes.

But it is not just rubbish that’s a problem.

The petition claims that people are also using woodland in the park as a public toilet.

“The park is so crowded that the woods are being used as a public facility,” says the petition.

“We see individuals entering with toilet paper but never emerging with waste for disposal as dog walkers would, should their animals defecate.”

It is not just small groups that the petition complains about, it claims that there are parties of “50 or more with commercial barbecues and gazebos”, which also causes parking problems on nearby roads.

The petition closes saying that the situation is “completely out of control” with the only solution a blanket ban on barbecues.

The park, right next to the famous All England Tennis Club, is one of three in Merton that is included on English Heritage’s Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.

The park was transformed in the 18th century by the English landscape architect Capability Brown, with a lake in the middle created as a focal point for the house located to the south of the present park.

The petition is open until May 10 and available on the Merton Council website.

After it closes it will be considered by the council, and actions could include consulting on the request, taking the action requested or writing to say why the council will not take the action. 

A petition calling for static barbecues at Beddington Park in neighbouring Sutton was also started recently and closes at the end of this month. It currently has more than 1,700 signatures.