This mountain of rubbish is the sight that greeted visitors to a once picturesque public garden in the city centre.

Local photographer Mark Bassett spotted the rotting waste in Wellington Square during a walk in the city centre and again later the same night.

It comes after the Mail revealed the true extent of fly-tipping in the city by finding enough trash in an hour to create a down-at-heel living room.

Mr Bassett was so appalled at the state of the park, which belongs to Oxford University, that he felt compelled to highlight the issue.

He took a photo of the litter at midday on Saturday, May 13, and another at 2.30am the following morning.

He said: "It is a public garden, it is supposed to be a place for kids to run around.

"I think it is disgraceful that that is what you are greeted by as you enter the park."

Wellington Square was once a no-go area where street drinking, drug taking and dealing were considered the norm.

The public garden, off St John Street, was transformed with new Victorian-style black railings, extra cameras and better lighting in 2004.

The rubbish was cleaned up Oxford City Council's City Works team on Monday, May 15, even though it is not its responsibility.

A council spokesman said: "Wellington Square litter bins are not maintained by Oxford City Council but we were able to remove the rubbish in this instance as staff were working nearby. It reflects our commitment of working to keep Oxford clean."

An Oxford University spokesman said the bins were normally emptied once a week in winter and twice a week in the summer.

She said: "A call has been put into the helpdesk within the Oxford University Estates Directorate department to get the mess cleaned up.

"If this is becoming a problem, we will increase the bin clearance routine."