No barbecues allowed in Buckingham parks and green spaces

A town council spokesman said: “Unfortunately, in recent years, our team and the local fire brigade have had to deal with the damage that resulted from discarded or uncontrolled barbecues.

"With the current extremely dry conditions, it is essential to avoid open flames.

“Barbecues regularly leave behind scorched patches of burned grass that take months to recover and damage our beautiful surroundings.”

And the spokesman added: “Everyone who visits Buckingham’s parks and green spaces should also make sure they bag up their rubbish and take it home where it can be recycled or disposed of responsibly.

“This will help to reduce litter and protect wild animals who can become trapped and entangled in dumped items.

“We want everyone to enjoy themselves during the summer in our parks and green spaces.”

Vice-chair of Buckingham Town Council’s Environment Committee, councillor Ryan Willett, said: “I recognise the weather is beautiful at the moment and people want to enjoy our parks with their friends and family, but please remember to take your rubbish home with you and avoid using disposable barbecues as it can quickly ruin our lovely scenery and harm our wildlife.”

Bucks Fire & Rescue Service has lots of advice for residents about the use of barbecues – where permitted – on its website.

Safety tips for disposable barbecues include the following: “Never place a disposable barbecue on a unstable surface, or anything that could catch light (such as grass or wood).

"Place disposable barbecues on an even surface using either bricks or paving slabs.”