Drug users and teenagers on mopeds have been accused of driving children from two Oxford parks.

A hypodermic needle packet on a path beside Grandpont Nursery

There is concern that antisocial behaviour at Grandpont Park and Bertie Place recreation ground, both in south Oxford, is turning them into virtual no-go areas for children.

Brian Gordon, who lives near Grandpont Park, off Whitehouse Road, said people were openly dealing and taking drugs in the park -- and discarding used needles.

Mr Gordon, 29, of Buckingham Street, warned that children at Grandpont Nursery and St Ebbe's Primary School could be at risk.

"This is an accident waiting to happen," he said.

"Needles can't be left on the ground directly beside a nursery and opposite a primary school for long without a small child becoming inquisitive.

"When will the police or council respond? When a child pricks themselves on a dirty needle? It's a no-go area."

Mr Gordon added: "The drug addicts now openly inject heroin in broad daylight, in full view of whomever happens to be watching. It's pretty frightening."

City councillor Bob Price said: "This is a long-standing problem which the police are well aware of. You stamp it out for a while and it comes back again. City Works do clean-ups there as often as they can to keep the obvious problems down, but it's a constant battle to keep things under control."

Mary Walton, 87, her partner Graham Wintle, 78, both of Chilswell Road, Grandpont, Oxford, said they avoided the park.

Insp Sarah Price said: "We are carrying out regular high-visibility patrols and plain-clothes patrols. We are monitoring needles being dumped and any we find, we get on to the council to remove them."

City councillor Rick Muir said young children no longer used Bertie Place recreation ground because they were scared of youths on mopeds.

Mr Muir said he had contacted the Crime and Nuisance Action team (CANAct) and said the teenagers were "well known" to them. He called for Antisocial Behaviour Orders to be served on the teenagers.

He said: "We need to get a handle on it before it gets out of control. Teenagers are hanging around, bullying people. They are big enough to scare adults."

Spot checks by the Oxford Mail over the Bank Holiday weekend revealed no children using the park.

Friends Claire Redfearn, 13, and Susie Foster, 14, who were staying at a caravan site opposite the park over the weekend, said they saw bikers race on the park on Sunday.

Claire, from Birkenhead, near Liverpool, said: "They were going really fast. Someone could have got knocked over."

Oxford police spokesman Lucy Ferguson said officers were called to Bertie Place last Wednesday at about 12.11pm, following reports of people racing up and down Wytham Street and Bertie Place on mopeds.

She said: "We are well aware of the situation and will be doing routine patrols."

Pc Glenn Jones said the police would do everything possible to catch the moped riders, adding: "We will get in contact with CANAct. If people call us and let us know, we will put it on our list of things to do."

In February, a £3,500 slide in the park was destroyed by arsonists just two weeks after it was installed.

Anyone who sees discarded needles in Oxford parks should call the council on 0800 7831957.

Anyone witnessing drug activity is also asked to contact police on 08458 505505.