A SENIOR policeman has proposed measures to drive sex workers and their clients out of a park in East Oxford.

Cowley Marsh Park has been highlighted by Insp Graham Sutherland as somewhere used by prostitutes - but he said simple improvements could help to clean up the area.

Mr Sutherland, the new area inspector for Cowley, said installing litter bins and cutting back hedges would make the park more attractive to local residents - and less appealing to prostitutes and their clients.

He said: "Marsh Park has lots of litter, bottles and rubbish just lying around everywhere but there are no litter bins there.

"It's that sort of thing I would like to work around with our partners. Perhaps if we cut the hedges down low and put some lights in, this area might improve.

"We will also be putting additional patrols in Marsh Park to keep the policing levels high there."

He added: "It makes it much less attractive if you are going to take a prostitute anywhere, the last place you are going to take her is where you are going to be seen, so these simple environmental measures could really help."

Residents of properties adjoining the park welcomed the suggestions.

Arthur Davis, of Crescent Road, said: "I think it would help because at the end of the city works depot there is a row of leylandii trees which have got very wide and are growing over the play area boundary.

"The fence used to be kept lovely and clear of foliage but it is very overgrown now. If people could see in they would feel more comfortable and be more likely to go there."

He said better facilities such as a new cricket pitch and an improved play area, due to be built in the autumn, would also help.

He added: "There are a lot of new estates being built, which means more children. They will all need recreation so we need to keep this green space and make the most of it."

Suwad Chaudhary, of Cowley Road, said: "At the moment in the park it is just dark and you cannot see anything.

"Although the car park is lit there are no bins and you find all sorts of things in the fields. They could do with putting some bins by the benches - I reckon it would be quite easy and cheap to improve it."

Saj Malik, who represents the area on Oxford City Council, said: "It is not only bins, but also dog bins and benches. We need to make it more welcoming so it can be well used."

A spokesman for the city council said: "We do carry out a programme of work including mowing the grass, cutting hedges and we will continue to do that work.

"We are currently experiencing a backlog with cutting back of vegetation on our shrub areas as we are very dependent on the weather conditions."