Covid: Litter strewn across Sefton Park after illegal gathering
- Published
Footage shared on social media showed large groups gathering at the park
The rubbish left at a park where hundreds gathered to celebrate St Patrick's Day was "soul destroying", an environmentalist has said.
Images on social media showed huge crowds at Sefton Park in Liverpool on Wednesday.
Merseyside Police officers issued 43 fixed penalty notices for flouting Covid-19 rules.
Andrea Ku, from the Friends of Sefton Park, said "depressingly" up to 40 bin bags were filled with the litter.
She said she was worried "something bad had happened" when she saw up to 200 people leaving the park.
Ms Ku, who is the chair of the Friends of Sefton Park community group, said it was "soul destroying" to see the rubbish, which was mainly empty bottles and cans, left behind.
"It's unbelievable people think it is OK to just leave a load of rubbish," she said.
Andrea Ku says up to 40 bin bags were filled with the rubbish left in the park
However, Ms Ku said there was something positive to come out of the illegal gathering.
"Meeting others cleaning up the mess in the dark with us was like a ray of light," she said.
She also said the community group gained 20 new volunteers after the clean-up operation.
Labour councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, who represents Greenbank ward, said it was "very concerning" people were flouting lockdown rules and "really disappointing and extremely upsetting" that they left the park in such a mess.
As well as issuing fixed penalty notices, police arrested one person on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly.
Some of the rubbish left in the park after crowds were dispersed
Leaders from the city's three universities and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine issued a joint statement condemning the "reckless actions".
University bosses said they were "appalled" by the gathering which was "in clear breach of the rules that the vast majority of people in Liverpool have been following".
They continued: "While it is not clear who took part, we will be reminding students of their crucial responsibility to observe government guidelines in order to protect not just themselves but the entire community."
People leaving Sefton Park after the gathering
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