By Calls to help Cleethorpes youth after multiple rubbish fires in Sidney Park
Humberside Police and Humberside Fire and Rescue were called to Sidney Park in Cleethorpes last night after numerous rubbish fires.
Yesterday at roughly 4 pm, volunteers from the Sidney Park Partnership carried out a litter pick in the park.
Over 40 volunteers banded together to help remove litter from the local park in the hopes of returning some pride to the area.
However, as the litter started to increase so did anti-social behaviour.
By roughly 8 pm, a fire at one of the bins had broken out, prompting a swift call to emergency services.
Footage of the fire circulated on social media, with one of the black rubbish bins at the park gates half melting from the heat of the flames.
Another fire was also set alight inside the park, leaving behind a large pile of melted litter and charred grass.
Locals and volunteers alike are greatly frustrated by the arson attacks, with one adding that anti-social behaviour in and around the park had been growing since spring.
Gareth from the Sidney Park Partnership said: “I attended as the fire was been put out and informed that all the burnt waste was going to be left there all night while around 60 youth circled the police. The community were all outside and provided me and my friend Jack Spades so we could clear it all up. Stopping all the waste being dragged back into the park.
“These kids have nowhere to go and nothing to do, the park is where they choose to hang out and “mess about” truth is what can they really do in Sidney park? We need to engage with them and find what they want to do. These kids lack direction and guidance, they are lost! It’s our responsibility to try and find out how we can help them grow into brilliant people. I see this as a call-out for help!
“The Sidney park partnership had a meeting this morning and we are going to find ways to engage with these children. Our first thought is to have a community concert in the park that they could all attend for free. Asking the police to be in attendance to connect us all together.
“The partnership was founded to make the park a better place for all and we will do our very best to help these children choose better paths. We have loads of plans for the summer holidays and hopefully big local is going to fund all of our ideas to get these kids to reintegrate with us!”
(Images: Gareth Kaye)
