LOUTS left a children's playground scattered with smashed glass, a discarded used needle and lager cans this weekend.

Sharon Hunt had taken her eight-year-old son to play in Tenscore Park in Sedgley on Sunday (November 22) but was horrified when she saw what a "disgusting state" it had been left in.

She said: "When we got there, there was a couple there with their son. They were looking at something by the fence and then they got their son and went.

"I went and had a look at what they were looking at and there was a needle in the grass, just on the other side of the fence.

"The park was covered in glass from what looked like a broken wine bottle and cans were stacked up on the swings."

Mrs Hunt, who immediately left the Priory Lane park in disgust, told the News: "It made me angry that it was in that state, especially with the needle obviously indicating drug use.

"If people want to do that then that's their choice but why do it in a children's park and put children at risk?

"It's just selfish. There aren't many places for kids to play and now I wouldn't feel comfortable using there either."

She later tweeted photographs of the park to Dudley Council, Sedgley police and Dudley North MP Ian Austin, highlighting its "disgusting state".

The MP teamed up with Damian Corfield, who will be hoping to win the Sedgley seat on Dudley Council for Labour next year, to lobby the council to get it cleared up Mr Corfield said: “Like other local parents my family use this park and I was appalled to hear what had happened.

"As soon as I heard about this vandalism, I visited the park to see for myself.

"Ian Austin and I contacted the council immediately to ask them to clear it up and we’re asking Sedgley police to keep an eye on the park to prevent it happening again.”

Sedgley councillor Bill Etheridge said he was "deeply concerned" by the news of used needles being found in the park and the "state of the site in general".

He continued: “The state of our parks is incredibly important as their condition is a reflection on the borough as a whole.

“We will be launching a petition calling for a clean-up of Tenscore and all parks in Sedgley.

"This matter needs to be taken very seriously by Dudley Council and we call on the authority to take action."