A troubling image has been shared showing bins set alight at the skate park off Shaw Street in Culcheth, after suspected arson at the recreational ground over the weekend.
According to the report by Tom Bedworth for the Warrington Guardian, a blue bin was set on fire beneath a shopping trolley. That is not mischief, that is dangerous, destructive behaviour, and it puts a public space used by families, children and volunteers at risk.
One member of a litter-picking team, who helps keep the Shaw Street recreational ground from turning into a post-apocalyptic picnic area, said the vandalism is now 'verging on criminal'. Frankly, when bins are being torched and broken glass is being left around a skate park, that line looks less like it is being approached and more like it has been vaulted over in muddy trainers.
The litter-picker said the team recently cleared broken glass from at least two dozen bottles, six large gas canisters, and enough general rubbish to fill three bin bags from the skate park alone. They also said the tops of bins had been removed and thrown over the fence onto the road. Charming stuff, if your idea of community spirit is making everyone else tidy up after you.
There is a serious concern here beyond the mess. The litter-picker warned that some young people appear to be drinking heavily and inhaling gas from industrial-sized canisters, which can cause real harm to their health. That part is not funny, not remotely. It is frightening, and it should worry every parent, carer and authority responsible for young people in Culcheth.
To be fair, teenagers do need places to go. Nobody wants young people treated like a nuisance simply for existing. But needing somewhere to hang out does not mean setting fire to bins, smashing bottles, dumping canisters and wrecking a public space that others work hard to maintain.
The litter group member said they have contacted the authorities they can think of, but feel as though nothing is being done. That is the bit that will particularly grate with many in Culcheth, because local volunteers are once again left doing the heavy lifting while official action appears to be moving at the speed of a council email chain in February.
The article also carried a note saying it was part of an exclusive subscriber partnership with sister title USA Today and written by American colleagues, adding that it does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. Quite why Culcheth skate park chaos needs a transatlantic disclaimer is anyone's guess, but the actual issue on Shaw Street is very local, very real, and getting harder to ignore.