'This is disgusting – and exceptionally dangerous' - councillor angry over the amount of 'hippy crack' cannisters spread across busy Harborough roads

A top Market Harborough councillor has slammed 'highly-irresponsible” people scattering hundreds of 'hippy crack' canisters across busy roads in the town.

Cllr Phil Knowles warned the culprits could spark a “catastrophic” crash after the dangerous nitrous oxide ‘laughing gas’ cylinders were strewn all over Market Harborough.

He hit out after veteran eco-campaigner Frank Bingley, 72, picked up over 600 hippy crack canisters from three different sites at the weekend – including on Leicester Road and Northampton Road.

Cllr Knowles, who leads the Liberal Democrats on Harborough District Council, told the Harborough Mail: “This is disgusting – and exceptionally dangerous.

“The district council and the police need to be making very strong moves now to stop this and wipe it out altogether.

“We need urgent concerted action to nip this in the bud before it becomes even more serious.”

The Great Bowden and Arden councillor stressed: “This sort of behaviour is blatantly anti-social for a start.

“These substances being inhaled are exceptionally dangerous – and could cause long-term harm to the user.

“We are also in the middle of a killer Covid-19 pandemic.

“So the fact that a lot of young people are gathering at these late-night get-togethers creates an obvious hotspot for the transmission of this deadly coronavirus.”

Asked about the threat posed to all road users by the shamelessly-discarded drugs debris, Cllr Knowles warned: “These canisters could be catastrophic for cyclists and motorbikers particularly.

“I’d urge anyone who has any information about the organisers of these events to contact the police immediately.”

Frank Bingley, a leading member of Market Harborough Environment Group, told how he and his wife meticulously cleared up three separate blackspots on Saturday morning (November 7).

“It was just unbelievable – we just went from site to site.

“We cleared up over 100 of these hippy crack canisters from two gateways on Leicester Lane on the Great Bowden to Gartree country road,” he told the Mail.

“We then moved on to Leicester Road, which is always very busy, by the Innovation Centre.

“There we bagged more than 100 more of these dirty items.

“While hard at work there a passing motorist alerted us that there were a whole load more near the leisure centre on Northampton Road at the other side of Market Harborough,” said the shocked eco-activist.

“We recovered well over 400 nitrous oxide canisters just a few yards away from the roundabout there on the Northampton side.

“They were thrown all over the road.

“Cars were coming along and some were skidding on the rubbish while other drivers were swerving to avoid them.

“It was very scary.

“My wife and I had to keep a close eye on each other and slow down the traffic as we carefully went about our work.

“Young people inhaling hippy crack is a fast-growing problem in and around Market Harborough,” said Frank, who lives in the town.

“We have come across these canisters time and again over the last few weeks alone.

“And it’s now gone well beyond getting high in a field or out in the country.

“It’s bad enough to be taking it in the first place.

“But throwing and dumping the canisters all over busy roads is lethal – especially in the dark.

“If you are on two wheels, on a cycle or a motorbike, you could end up in hospital seriously injured or worse.

“It’s high time now that the police and the council acted to get a grip and stop this menace now.

“We also took away 10 of the cardboard catering packs this stuff comes in.”

Leicestershire Police said officers also found and recovered “a number of canisters” off Wellington Way, Market Harborough, on Saturday night.

“Further information regarding anti-social behaviour can be found here: https://www.leics.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/asb/asb/antisocial-behaviour/nuisance-behaviour-groups-people/ and information regarding littering/fly-tipping can be found here: https://www.leics.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/vandalism/fly-tipping-squatters,” said police.

Harborough council has been asked for a comment.