Firefighters clear up after crowds leave Cannon Hill Park looking like a rubbish tip

West Midlands Fire Service crews cleared up alarming mounds of litter from Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham after crowds left the green area looking like a rubbish tip during the coronavirus lockdown.

The firefighters were concerned some of the rubbish, which included cigarette stubs, could lead to fires in the current heatwave and pose a danger to the public and local wildlife.

The current warm weather, and the easing of the coronavirus rules, has resulted in huge crowds of people descending onto green spaces and parks across the West Midlands this weekend.

The resulting picnics and socializing resulted with overflowing park bins and litter scattered all over parks. One of the worst hit places by sunseeking revellers was Cannon Hill Park in Edgbaston.

The beautiful park was left looking like a “disgusting rubbish tip with piles of fast food wrappers which attracted rats” according to a local resident who works at the University of Birmingham.

Some of the plastic bags had flown into the lake and posed a threat to the swans and ducks.

The situation was so acute that West Midlands Fire Service crews arrived to help clear the mess on Sunday for fear the current weather might lead to fire.

“Please take litter home with you or discard it properly. Bottles and cigarette stubs can lead to fire,” said a spokesperson for West Midlands Fire Service.

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Two fire engines were in Cannon Hill Park and the crews, including local residents, got busy clearing up the rubbish that was left behind by visitors.

The scenes of discarded rubbish across green spaces was repeated in parks across the West Midlands, and there were reports of other emergency personnel helping clear the spaces to make the areas safe.

Police were also on hand to confiscate speeding quad-bikes which have become a real nuisance during the coronavirus lockdown.

West Midlands Police and West Midlands Fire Service have appealed to people to clear up any rubbish when leaving a park because these clear-up operations by police and fire crews are putting a strain on emergency services which are currently dealing with far more pressing matters related to the coronavirus panedmic.