Litter-louts should show respect

She said Council staff reported a six-fold increase in the amount of rubbish collected from the facility on Monday.

The Waterside representative said she believed the opening of the new ‘Peace Bridge’ had resulted in an influx of young people to the park - some of whom seemed intent on turning it into a temporary rubbish tip.

She called on those responsible to have a bit of “civic pride and respect” and welcomed a Council pledge to increase resources to tackle the issue.

“I’m getting lots of phone calls from people complaining about the rubbish in St Columb’s Park since the Peace Bridge opened,” she said.

“It seems young people are using the bridge to come over and socialise.

“I’ve spoken to the City Engineer’s Department and they told me they would normally lift five bags of rubbish on a Monday but this week they lifted 30. I would call on people to have a bit of respect and pride in their city and take any litter or rubbish with them and put them in the bins that are provided around the Park,” said the Ulster Unionist representative.