Visitors praised for keeping Preston parks litter-free on hottest day of year

Heaps of discarded rubbish covering the nation’s green spaces has been a familiar sight this week, after the two hottest days of the year so far.

Pictures showing piles of litter, overflowing bins and groups of people not following social distancing guidelines have surfaced from parks across the country following the relaxation of the 'stay at home' rules.

In images shared to social media, people can be seen sitting in socially distanced groups of six or less, with the majority clearing up their rubbish after themselves - a far cry from scenes shared from other spots across the country.

"We must all continue to do our bit and follow the guidelines that are still in place to keep all of us safe and we were grateful to see the recently shared images of Avenham and Miller Parks showing so many visitors keeping socially distanced.

"We also ask everyone to help keep our parks as beautiful as you find them, so that they are ready for the next group of visitors to enjoy. Please use the litter bins provided, or if they are full – which can easily happen when the parks are busy – please take your rubbish home with you.”

And recent temperatures of 20 degrees celsius over the past few days, March 30 and 31, mean people have taken full advantage of the rays and flocked out in their thousands to enjoy the sun.

Endcliffe Park in Sheffield, Platt Fields Park in Manchester and Hyde Park in Leeds were just some of the green spaces that were left with a sea of litter.

When the Post visited Avenham Park yesterday evening, March 31, some rubbish had been left on the park with some youths having BBQs, but we saw no evidence of widespread littering or rules breaches while we were there.

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 per month for the first two months. Try us today by ​clicking here.