Dangerous ‘laughing gas’ canisters, cigarette papers and glass bottles have been littered all over a community orchard that has seen a huge increase in bad behaviour during lockdown.

The Downley Community Orchard has suffered serious issues recently, with empty drink cans, bottles of spirits and other debris discarded at the site – while a notice board was destroyed and a heritage pear tree pushed over and killed.

Groups have apparently been congregating at the once-peaceful community orchard during lockdown while pubs and other places have been forced to shut.

The group that runs the orchard has pleaded with Downley Parish Council for cash to help solve the problem.

They said: “A major factor and probable reason for these gatherings at the orchard is that from most angles the seating area and notice board are hidden form the adjacent track, giving what was hoped to be a quiet contemplative place for people to sit.

“But it has during 2020 given these persons a hideaway to do what they do, including preventing the original use, away from the public gaze. Their activities have continued undisturbed.”

Downley parish councillor Adrian Lenard told fellow councillors at their latest meeting about the situation. He said: “It is really badly littered. We collected a bag full of bottles and laughing gas canisters and Rizla papers and God knows what else.

“There has also been a huge bonfire up there and you just know there’s going to be more.”

In a bid to tackle the problem, Downley Community Orchard have asked for a donation from the council of over £862 to pay Chiltern Rangers to make the site “more open to public view” to discourage people from gathering there out of sight.

They want Chiltern Rangers to reduce the height of the bushes between the track and the orchard and lay a new hedge with a fence to stop people from being able to park in the area.

Councillors also suggested removing the benches there so people cannot use them for anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Lenard said: “[The work] will create a nice, neat, low hedge, it opens the area up and stops it being hidden away, and if there is further litter, it makes it much easier to clear up. It is all round a great proposition.

“I would like us to consider removing the two benches there by the bonfire area. It’s just asking to be used. I know they’re an amenity but I think we need to move the benches until it’s no longer used as an area for littering and bonfires.”

All parish councillors agreed they would support the measures to try and rid the orchard, which was created in 2003, of anti-social behaviour.