The park is undoubtedly a local showplace and a magnet for visitors, if only for a picnic lunch or a stroll among the roses.

But it’s also a popular daily hangout for teenagers during after school hours.

And while the majority are just there as a convenient location to hang out with friends there has been an increasing trend towards trouble makers, even in daylight hours.

In the closing months of last year police and council rangers were repeatedly called to the park to deal with complaints of rampant misbehaviour.

On one well publicised occasion someone even set fire to one of the items of playground equipment.

When authorities arrive on the scene the problem element has a ready made escape route through a large hole cut in the mesh of the fence fronting Peachman Avenue.

This has still not been repaired and the offenders can flee across the bowling club car park.

In the latest incident reported only this week thieves have stolen the two steering wheels off a popular spring mounted ‘car’ in the playground.

Littering is the most frequent daily problem over much of the park

Doing the right thing is clearly too much of an effort.

Late night drinking parties are also a source of frequent complaint.

Council has up to now resisted suggestions for more CCTV surveillance.