DESPERATE pleas have been made to install CCTV at a town park after growing concern drug use and dealing is getting 'out of hand'

The call comes after a significant amount of drug paraphernalia was discovered in Dalton Leisure Centre Park in Chapel Street over the weekend.

One resident said he has reported the issue more than 50 times to police and is concerned the issue is worsening.

He said: "This issue is getting way out of hand as it's not a weekend thing, it is a nightly thing. The blatant drug dealing and taking is just shocking.

"I see it all the time, it's been going on over 12 months now. We're constantly seeing drug use and drug dealing..

"It's an absolute disgrace, families don't want to be there because there's youths sat there smoking weed in front of them. There's no CCTV so there's no possibility of them getting caught. The place stinks of weed. This is happening every night."

Dalton Community Action Group is echoing calls for cameras to be put up to crack down on anti social behaviour.

A spokesman said: "There is no real reason or excuse not to have CCTV there. Look at what has happened since Network Rail installed CCTV at Dalton station. Since that day we have had very little trouble in the station area. It's not all about catching the criminal element either.

"This week we had a very worried mother post that she had lost her daughter somewhere near the park. Luckily some of the community including youths at the park had seen this information on our social media and gone looking and not long after the child was found behind the leisure centre in the woods. How long would it have taken to find this little girl with no social network? If CCTV was installed, police could make arrests then they would be able to nail all of the criminal element."