A CLEAN-UP operation where volunteers found ‘clear evidence’ of alcohol and drug misuse has been described as ‘shocking’.

The community clean-up happened over the last weekend in April and took place in the gardens of Clitheroe Castle, where volunteers were faced with hundreds of used marijuana bags, gas canisters, alcohol bottles and evidence of popper use.

As well as the drug paraphernalia, volunteers collected 14 black bin bags full of rubbish, including cans, bottles and wrappers.

Giles Bridge, chairman of the Ribble Valley Labour Party, said the discovery provided evidence of drug misuse among some of the young people who frequent the park.

He said: “We had heard that anti-social behaviour was apparent in the park and there has been talk about people being put off using the area because of the drug and alcohol use that goes on in there," said Mr Bridge.

“The discovery of these materials confirmed it to us and provides us with clear evidence that there is an issue here that needs to be addressed.

“Much of the substance use is taking place in dens in the bushes and therefore out of sight.

“I will raise the issue at our next Labour party meeting to discuss what actions we would like to see the police and Ribble Valley Borough Council take to deal with the issue.”

A resident who lives in the area and used to use the park on a regular basis added that ‘obvious anti-social behaviour’ in the area had stopped her not wanting to take her children through the park.

Mr Bridge, who headed the clean-up, said this kind of anti-social behaviour should be attributed to government cuts to youth services.

He said: “We’ve seen a massive cut in youth services in this area and that is going to contribute to a rise in anti-social behaviour.

“With no clubs for these youths to go to, where else are they going to go?

“We plan to do another clean-up in a couple of months' time to allow us to monitor the situation and see if this carries on,” Mr Bridge added.

On the day of the clean-up, 17 members from the Clitheroe Rotary and the Ribble Valley Labour Party joined forces to collect rubbish.

The event has previously been postponed on two previous occasions due to bad weather conditions, meaning the April weekend was the group’s first opportunity to get the clean-up done.