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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Adam Dutton & John Bett

Families terrorised by 'scary' children who dump smashed-up toys and decorations

Residents living in a troubled area say they are being plagued by feral schoolchildren - who are dumping litter and unwanted toys all over the area.

Families on Riley Square in Bell Green, Coventry, say the area has been nicknamed 'Hell Green' as it is overrun by youngsters who terrorise locals.

Pictures show smashed-up toys and Christmas decorations that have been littered around, and one mum said her partner asked one youngster to clean up their litter, only to be rudely told: “I’ll only do it if you pay me!”

Now locals have had enough and said that they are voicing their anger as rubbish has started piling up and the local council still hasn’t acted.

Local resident Barbara Nachman, 36, with her son Janek, 4 (Emma Trimble / SWNS)
Rubbish is often dumped in the area (Emma Trimble / SWNS)

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Barbara Nacham, 36, has lived in the area for five years, and regularly tries to keep it clean but has found it an uphill battle.

The mum-of-two said: "This is a massive problem in our neighbourhood and it’s something our neighbours talk about.

"I see and spoke to them yesterday. It seems like a never-ending story. Whether it be big items or just small things like crisp packets.

"We used to take turns cleaning the area but the next day it would always be covered in rubbish.

Rubbish in Roseberry Avenue, near to Riley Square (Emma Trimble / SWNS)

"We saw children throwing rubbish on the ground, we tried to speak to them. Once one of them brought their dad who shouted at us, it scared us.

"They're rude, too. We tidied up in the morning, half an hour later they threw something on the ground.

"When my partner asked them to clean it up, they said ‘if you pay me, I'll clean it up’.

"The play area is mainly kids, I don’t know if it’s lack of education but there’s no bins there.

Oil cans and children's toys litter the free carpark for the square (Emma Trimble / SWNS)

"We've been reporting it to local council. The council come and pick up the rubbish everyday but how does that teach the kids.

"You have to pay £18 to get bulky items collected, for some people that is a lot of money.

"There’s one sofa that’s been here for at least two months.

"There’s people going shopping, who bring the shopping home in a trolley but then dump the trolley in the river.

Angry residents have hit out at uncontrollable kids and others after fly-tipped rubbish was dumped (Emma Trimble / SWNS)

"I saw people coming back from Farmfoods with their shopping in the trolley and they wouldn’t bother to take their trolley back to the store, they’d just throw it in the river.

"They're doing it whenever they are on the play area. We are a small community.

"What we used to have in Poland were classes in school about how you’re supposed to keep your area clean, the kids used to pick up the garbage.

"It is a plague, its sometimes even scary. I have a toddler who’s one and he keeps picking glass up from the ground.

Residents of Riley Square are fed up (Emma Trimble / SWNS)

"I have to watch the ground. There are people there drinking beer and throwing stuff on the ground.

"You're scared to even say something. Like when the kid brought his dad."

Now Barbara is scared to let her young children walk and play in the area due to dangerous rubbish pile up.

She added: "One day I was walking with my baby, I saw man walking his dog. He let it poo, wiped its bum and left the tissue and poo on the ground.

Rubbish in the River Sowe close to Riley Square (Emma Trimble / SWNS)

"I've been living here for five years and it’s been like this since I've been here.

"The neighbours are very frustrated as it’s a nice area. It's so frustrating, you have this beautiful area with a lot of green space but then rubbish in the middle of it.

"It was scary to let kids play in the play area. Yesterday there was glass all over the playground.

"Many things need to be done from different sides. There needs to be some kind of education and we need to speak to the children.

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"We need more bins, it’s sometimes very hard to find one."

Another resident added: "I live near Moat House, in the newer properties. It was lovely when I first moved in but I have seen it decline.

"People no longer seem concerned about what is happening outside their own front door.

"This has always been a working-class area and it's had its problems but what is sad is the sense of community which bound us together has gone.

"It's no wonder people around here call it 'Hell Green' because that is what it has become."

Coventry City Council have been approached for comment.

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