Birmingham residents patrol parks they are scared to visit

Naeem Yousef said volunteers had taken it upon themselves to patrol Small Heath Park

Residents have started patrolling a park where they say authorities are failing to tackle drug-dealing and prostitution.

People in Small Heath, Birmingham, described feeling scared to visit their local public spaces at certain times.

"You don't want your kids going into a park [littered] with condoms," said Street Watch volunteer Naeem Yousef.

West Midlands Police said it routinely patrolled the area and was committed to working with the community.

Small Heath resident Mr Yousef, a member of a police StreetWatch scheme in Bordesley Green, said volunteers started patrolling Small Heath Park a week ago.

"I've got emails from the schools to the police saying the school's children are witnessing sexual intercourse in the bushes," he said.

"You've got schools pleading with the police and nothing seems to be done."

Javed Iqbal told the BBC he would think twice about bringing his children to Digby Park

Of Digby Park, which lies just over half a mile from Small Heath Park, Javed Iqbal said: "Come the evening, it just changes into a different place altogether. We've lost faith in it, the community's lost faith in it."

Mr Iqbal said a child had been mugged at knife-point in the park but the family was too afraid of reprisals to report it.

Residents reported large quantities of litter, including discarded nitrous oxide canisters Small Heath Park

West Midlands Police urged the victim of the alleged incident to get in touch and added the force was using a range of measures to fight criminal and antisocial behaviour in the area.

The force was aware of "ongoing issues" relating to sex work around Small Heath Park and would be working with other groups to tackle the issue, Ch Insp Rich Evans said.

Routine patrols would continue in the area, he added.

Birmingham City Council said it was working with a new Friends of Digby Park group and a spokesperson called on the public to "do their bit" to keep public spaces clean.