RECENTLY I took my three children to the park at Acomb Green.

A nice treat I thought, somewhere they can burn off energy. I can sit and watch my children happily play.

On entering the park, we had to dodge all the dog mess. We managed to get to the play area with only one incident of dog-poo-meets-shoe.

Task two was avoiding injury from all the broken alcohol bottles lying around the apparatus. After ten nervous minutes, I brought my disappointed brood home. I was disgusted with the state of this so-called child-friendly area. I then picked up this month's City of York Council leaflets from my doorstep.

A section within the leaflet states £6,048 of the £13,607 spring cleaning budget must be spent on various things - including dog bins for Acomb Green. Great, if the owners can be bothered to pick up the offending mess.

I read in the accompanying leaflet, York Budget Balancing Act, that people are to be encouraged to use litter bins - or face a £50 fine. The council could make a fortune should someone camp out on Acomb Green. In the Chapelfields area there is not one litter bin. If the council wants us to dispose of litter it should provide the bins. I bet things would be different if the park were in the town centre.

York has residents not just tourists.

S Sellars,

Barkston Grove,

Chapelfields,

Acomb, York.

Updated: 09:56 Friday, February 20, 2004