Fury after fly-tipping and a dead rat appears at Sheffield beauty spot

Local man Larry Angel has long campaigned for the Woodthorpe Ponds on Richmond Road to be better looked after, as they were in the not too distant past.

But the problem has now got so bad he says he is increasingly concerned the rubbish and vermin at the site could pose a serious health hazard to those who use it.

He said: “It has been a problem for quite a while now but it is just a state now. It is horrible and my worry is for the health of the kids who use it.

“Some people say you are wasting your time but there are some smashing people on Woodthorpe who deserve better than what they have got.

“There needs to be more pride in the area but it doesn’t look like it is going to get done.

“On several occasions I have almost lost patience with it and thought let them get on with it. But it is a lovely space that could be superb.”

Larry said he has been involved in trying to improve the ponds for years but says he doesn’t now have the energy to devote to it the attention it deserves.

“There was an action group who got the ponds sorted out years ago and I remember how beautiful it used to be,” he said.

“But that stopped as people moved away or got older and I am of an age that I don’t have the energy to do that anymore.

“Then, there was meant to be some funding from the Environment Agency but that fell through as well.”

Larry added he thought the fly-tipping is most likely coming from outside the area but without better enforcement said it would be impossible to stop.

He said: “There are lights on the pond but no CCTV. I suppose that could help but I don’t suppose the council would have any money to do it.

“It is just a nuisance really but I don’t know how to stop it.”