Dog poo driving Lace Hill park-goers potty

The Buckingham park, which opened on the development last autumn after delays, is full of swanky equipment and young children have been enjoying the swings and slides.

But there is a problem with dog poo and parents, who supervise their children at the park, are concerned about the health risks.

Gill Gallagher thinks the onus is on dog-walkers to keep the park tidy.

She said: “My children went there on Saturday and I can honestly say I was disgusted with what I was faced with – dog mess everywhere.

“If you have a pet clean up after it and don’t let it mess in a park where children play.

“After waiting months for it to finally be passed as safe to play with it’s very sad to see just how much respect people actually have for public space.”

But there are also concerns that bins are not being regularly emptied.

Tashi Newman said: “I was pretty horrified when I saw the overflowing bins at the Lace Hill play park – mostly dog poo in bags, spilling onto the floor.”

And Gemma Hopkin, who lives opposite the park, said the problem is bins are ‘overflowing’ and ‘the wind blows it out of the bins to the floor’.

She said: “We need dog poo bins on the estate to discourage people from using the children’s play area.”

Joelle Jones said she was also ‘horrified’ by the overflowing bins. Mary Orriss said she was ‘amazed’ at how many dogs were ‘off leads’ and that many owners were ‘not picking up after their dogs’.

Aylesbury Vale District Councillor for Buckingham south, Howard Mordue, said: “It is a both a health hazard and occurring in a public place.

“I have asked the Buckingham Town Council clerk to have a word with AVDC Environmental Health to try and establish a control order for dog owners at the play areas.

“I also think its important that a residents committee is eventually established which could take on responsibilities from the chosen management company.”