A dog walker is calling for people to treat a communal park and play area with respect following anti-social behaviour, littering and dog mess problems.

Nicola Bacon, 33, from Jerningham Road in New Costessey, who regularly uses the green space by Breckland Hall on Breckland Road, believes the problems could be prevented by locking a side gate into the park.

She and other residents believed the problems took place after dark and currently only the main gate into the park is locked in the evening.

Miss Bacon, who works part-time in a shop, said there have been incidents of dog mess in the children's play area and surrounding green space of Breckland Park but the majority of dog owners she saw picked up mess and used bins.

She said that dog fouling in Breckland Park, owned by Costessey Town Council, was "disgusting".

Miss Bacon and other residents said major community problems facing the park included people riding motorbikes, teenagers and young adults swearing in front of families, littering, including broken glass, and drug taking.

The shop worker said: "It is such a lovely facility for everyone. It makes me so sad it is being abused in this way. I love the place but it is difficult when I come here with my dogs or nephew and have to clean it up before they can play. I'd love the park to be treated with respect."

Miss Bacon added she found there was "apathy" among some people, including adults, in terms of picking up litter and that dog walkers often picked up litter.

A 61-year-old Costessey resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said the people who cleaned the park for the council did a fantastic job.

She said: "The dog fouling is the least of the problems. Anti-social behaviour is far worse."

A Costessey Town Council spokesman said: "Our grounds staff clear litter and check the play equipment every morning."

She added that most dog owners picked up after their dogs but the council had run awareness campaigns.

The spokesman said: "Anti-social behaviour should be reported to the police, which is what the council does if it receives any reports."