A country park in Stockport is 'overwhelmed' with people 'making it a mess' by lighting barbecues and littering during recent heatwaves.

Reddish Vale Country park spans 161 hectares along the River Tame in the heart of Stockport. It provides a green corridor linking the town centre with Denton in Tameside, and Woodley.

The 'lovely park' with 'great views' is a popular destination for people providing access to nature. Part of the site is a designated local nature reserve. It is managed by Stockport council.

One person living in the area said police have been called due to people lighting fires and barbecues during periods of hot weather wasting police time amid safety concerns. There have also been calls for tighter regulation following devastating fires in the moorlands above Manchester.

A public question was raised by Angela Dennerley during a Stockport Council Reddish area committee on July 27 who asked what the council was doing to address issues at the Reddish Vale Country Park which she said had 'attracted a lot of fires, barbecues, rubbish, and antisocial behaviour' during recent heatwaves.

She argued more bins and better bins were 'desperately needed' as 'the sheer volume due to the hot weather has totally overwhelmed the Vale'.

Ms Dennerley added: "The use of barbecues and fires is totally unacceptable and unsafe. The number of barbecues is totally overwhelming down there with the fire risk and rubbish left behind."

In response, Coun Rachel Wise said it was important to make sure the council was doing all it could to protect the vital public space but the management of parking as well as potentially more bins was a complicated matter. She said new signs had gone up to deter people from lighting barbecues.

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The councillor also criticised people for littering, adding: "If you brought it into the park, you know you can carry it. It probably weighs less now you've eaten your sandwiches, just take the plastic bit home with you."

Coun James Frizzell said he often got contacted over concerns over fires and barbecues and people 'basically making it a mess and it is a place for everybody'. He said people should leave nothing behind but footprints arguing it was 'not somewhere to be abused'.

He added: "There are volunteers who do a great deal of work picking up litter and picking up after other people but those other people shouldn't be dropping it in the first place."

The councillor said he had even seen the fire brigade 'pouring water on people' and 'getting water on the fire', arguing this should show people it is not allowed.