Police and parish councillors have joined forces to bring in new laws to ban drinking in a local park following a weekend of vandalism.

After constant destruction in Haworth Park, the police have approached Haworth parish council in an attempt to bring in a by-law to ban drinking in the park.

This follows constant problems with under-age drinking in the park, which is leading to drunken youths causing mindless vandalism.

If a by-law is passed it would give the police and councillors the power to prosecute those breaking the law.

PC Brian Woollard said: "I have been to see the chairman of the parish council to see if they could introduce a by-law to ban drinking in the park so we can take action against them.

The young people are causing the damage after they have been drinking - so if we ban the drinking then maybe we will be able to stop the vandalism.

"In the meantime we will have to keep making regular checks on the park, if necessary we will change our hours and come back later.

"The park keepers take pride in their work and this vandalism has to stop."

"A by-law would give us the power to take the details of anyone contravening the law and we would pass it on to the council who would then prosecute."

This week a trail of damaged bushes, burnt trees and empty bottles of alcohol marked the start of the school holidays in Keighley.

Visitors to Haworth Park bore witness to the destruction and devastation left behind by the vandals.

Cans of beer were strewn around the park and the tidily kept shrubs had been torn apart with their stems scattered across the greens. Circles had also been burned into the grass.

Parish councillor Wayne Deakin said: "I was walking to work and saw all the mess in the park, they have lit trees and made fires and wrecked the flowerbeds.

"It's an absolute mess. Visitors come here for a good day out and this is what they get.

The park keepers work very hard and do an excellent job, but they are been confronted with sights like this everyday. Now it's the school holidays it's worse. The police need to do something to stop this and stop the shops who are selling these youngsters alcohol."

Local parks have always had problems with underage drinking but recently the problems have escalated with new incidents daily.

Chairman of Haworth parish council Paul Brooks said: "I am going to discuss the issue of introducing a by-law to ban drinking in the park at the next parish council meeting, with a view to looking into our powers. If we cannot enforce it then we could petition Bradford Council to use their laws to make a by-law."

"The constables could enforce the law and maybe the park rangers would also be able to. We are once again asking for people in Haworth to become special policemen and man the Haworth police station, so they too can patrol the area."

Anyone with information about vandalism happening in the park should contact PC Brian Woollard on 01274 537441 or Keighley Police Station on 01535 617059.