Resident irked by hundreds of beer cans and even a soiled nappy

A SECLUDED Sidmouth spot is being blighted by rubbish including beer cans and even soiled nappies, according to one upset resident.

Riverside Terrace householder Garland Pickard, 68, has lamented littering at a riverside footpath at the Ham.

Mr Pickard, who visits the area while walking his dogs every day, told the Herald: “People moan about dog mess, but the amount of rubbish is absolutely extraordinary. Only last week down there, I saw a teenage girl, with a young baby and a pram, changing the child’s nappy.

“When I came back I saw she’d left the soiled nappy and what she’d wiped the baby clean with by a public bench. This is just disgusting. I’ve picked up hundreds of beer cans there.

“I’m alarmed at it looking like an absolute tip when Sidmouth relies so much on holiday trade.”

Mr Pickard says youths congregate at the Ham’s play area at night every weekend.

“When you mention something to them you get a whole lot of abuse,” he said.

“It’s appalling. Nobody takes any care for their neighbourhoods now. It’s such a lovely and secluded area, yet it’s blighted by rubbish.”

The Herald reported last week how human faeces was cleaned up from the footpath (see page 8).