Park patrols to be stepped up

Council park wardens are to increase patrols in the Sixmile Park in Ballyclare following recent anti-social behaviour over the Easter holidays.
The entrance to Sixmile Park. Pic by Google.The entrance to Sixmile Park. Pic by Google.
The entrance to Sixmile Park. Pic by Google.

Over the Easter weekend, dozens of flowers in the local beauty spot were destroyed, with their heads being ripped off and strewn across a footpath.

A concerned resident from the town, who wished to remain anonymous contacted the Times to voice her concerns.

She said: “Groups of teens were congregating in the park on the evenings over the Easter weekend and some of them appear to have taken it upon themselves to damage flowers in the park.

“While I was out walking my dog on Easter Monday, I noticed dozens of daffodils had been destroyed. Their heads had either been pulled or kicked off and they were covering the path closest to Avondale Drive.”

The resident added: “The council have put so much effort into making the park look nice, but this hard work has now been undone.”

A spokesperson for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council said the local authority had not received any reports of anti-social behaviour in the park in recent days, but added: “The daffodils will flower again next spring, despite flower heads being picked. Planting of flowers will continue as per seasonal programming.

“Park wardens will increase their patrols of the park and we hope the majority of the park’s visitors continue to enjoy the park and all the spring flowers.”