Bins across parks in Oxford have been overflowing with food wrappers, beer cans and other waste as many people descend on city green spaces during the heatwave.
Record-breaking hot weather over the May bank holiday weekend saw crowds of people turn out to outdoor green spaces on riversides and in parks in Oxford, leaving in their wake a huge amount of rubbish.
Locals who live near parks such as Hinksey Park in Abingdon Road or Port Meadow have been left 'very upset' by the overflowing bins and piles of litter spread across the green spaces.
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Labour councillor for Hinksey Park Anna Railton said: "Piling up rubbish next to bins is one thing but leaving it scattered across our parks and green spaces is another.
"For example Port Meadow was repeatedly left an absolute state at the weekend, putting the grazing animals who live there in danger.
"ODS (Oxford Direct Services) puts on more crews in weather like this to keep on top of it and they did a great job getting everything cleaned up quickly. They can’t be everywhere all at once though.
"We want everyone to enjoy our parks in the good weather but people should do so responsibly and leave it as they found it for everyone else."
Pictures have shown rubbish piled on top of public bins and sometimes strewn around them.
It has lead some to question whether the city council's principle public waste management policy - for people to take the litter they create home with them - is sufficient to deal with the heatwave hoards.
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The council's network of more than 995 litter bins and 278 dog waste bins across the city are supposed to be checked daily and emptied if half full.
Some bins in busiest areas are emptied as many as eight times per day, according to a briefing paper submitted to a city council scrutiny committee meeting held on March 10.
But locals are saying the policy isn't enough as rubbish continues pouring out onto green spaces.
A spokesperson for ODS, the city council's contracted waste management company, said: "We take great pride in providing fantastic open spaces for everyone to enjoy, particularly during hot weather and holidays.
"The city's parks and green spaces faced unprecedented demand over the hot bank holiday weekend, carrying on late into the nights.
"Despite extra resources, increasing the frequency of emptying bins and litter picking, it was still not enough to maintain our usual high standards.
"We have addressed this and are deploying extra resources to the parks and open spaces, as well as implementing a specific hot weather and bank holiday schedule.
"This will be coupled with an additional early morning team to rectify any late night littering so we can provide the usual high standards for residents and visitors of Oxford to enjoy."
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The issue isn't confined to the city, as South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Council shared a joint statement with pictures of overflowing bins in their green spaces and a plea for people to clean up after themselves.
The councils said: "The sunny weather has meant our parks have been busy with people enjoying picnics. Then they leave the parks like this.
"If the bins are full - take your rubbish home. If you can carry your picnic to the park, you can take it home."
