Shards of scattered glass and cannisters were found near the remains of a large bonfire at Croxley Moor – after weeks of warnings against littering and large gatherings.

The Friends of Croxley Common Moor conducted their weekly litter picking event on Sunday (July 26) only to find a small section littered with shatter glass, nos cannisters and the remains of deodorant cans.

Throughout the lockdown period there were many incidents reported of large gatherings, parties, barbecues, bonfires, and littering at the moor.

Despite Three Rivers District Council urging for people to “respect the area and its wildlife”, visitors are still damaging the area.

During the litter pick, it took around 40 minutes to clean up just a square metre of the overall litter left behind.

One volunteer explained that grass had been burnt due to a large bonfire, and there were scattered bits all around the fire.

Watford Observer:

Grass was burnt by the fire Photo: UGC

The volunteer believes that the people in the area at the time thrown bottles and cannisters into the fire to cause the remains to shatter all around the ground.

Watford Observer:

Glass was found shattered across the moor patch Photo: UGC

In one incident on May 15, an abandoned barbecue after a large gathering caused a small fire to break out.

While fire services were able to extinguish it, a large patch of burnt grass was left behind.

But during the peak of the lockdown period, there were various other gatherings which left behind alcohol bottles, nos cannisters and other damages.

Tracey Smart, who lives near Croxley Common Moor previously said that “a warden is necessary” after the surge of incidents.

In response to previous reports, a spokesperson from Three Rivers District Council said: “Over the past few weeks, Three Rivers has experienced the same issues as other areas, with people wanting to enjoy the sunshine and meet friends.

“Unfortunately, a number of people are ignoring social distancing and other Government rules designed to keep us all safer.”

In response to the previous reports, Cllr Phil Williams, the leader member for Environmental Services and Sustainability, said: “The Grounds Maintenance team is working hard to keep all these green spaces clean, tidy and empty the bins regularly. The litter being left behind may affect the safety of our staff and it can also damage the wildlife and plant life that we want to protect.

“Please do not light any BBQs or leave litter on the ground. Use the bins provided and if full take your rubbish home with you. With your help, we can keep these places litter-free, ready for the next set of visitors to also enjoy the clean, welcoming environment.”