This is just some of the mess at a well-known Harborough hotspot where people meet to drink alcohol and inhale 'hippy crack'

Residents say they are fed up with clearing up at anti-social hotspot in Harborough where people meet to drink alcohol and inhale nitrous oxide, commonly known as hippy crack.

Incensed Frank Bingley, 72, has now spoken out to the Harborough Mail about his personal mission to clear up the massive mess left behind by the youths.

He is shining a light on the mounting problem on a patch of land opposite Harborough Leisure Centre on Northampton Road as both the police and Harborough council vowed to unite to combat the threat.

“I came across this huge amount of rubbish with my wife – and we were both shocked by the sickening scale of this crisis to say the least.

“We both do our best to keep our hometown Market Harborough clean and pleasant,” said Frank, a leading member of Market Harborough Environment Group.

“But it’s nigh impossible to get on top of the problem when the mountain of waste keeps piling up as it does here just about every day of the week.”

The dedicated hands-on environmental crusader said he is acting after the couple spotted “a large amount of litter” on Tuesday night last week.

“We came across a lot of beer bottles, cans and rubbish near to the Rieker shoe outlet off Northampton Road opposite the leisure centre.

“It was unbelievable how much horrible waste was strewn all over the area,” said Frank, who lives in Market Harborough.

“We filled two big bin bags and three carrier bags of beer bottles alone.

“We also stuffed two bags of aluminium cans and plastic bottles along with three more bags of general litter.

“We were there ages with our sleeves rolled up.

“There were also a stack of 30-40 ‘hippy crack’ nitrous oxide canisters too, which is very worrying.

“We left the spot fairly clean other than a huge pile of foam rubber, which would have needed a brush and shovel to clear up.

“I popped back the next morning to check if the council had picked up the three bags of litter, which they had.

“We had taken all the bottles and aluminium back home to recycle.

“But there was already a discarded box of empty beer bottles and other litter dumped there.

“So it’s obvious that quite a big gang of youths or young people are gathering there regularly on a night.

“They are getting through one heck of a lot of beer as well as inhaling the hippy crack.

“I do worry very much about the effect nitrous oxide is having on young people and I’d like to see this stopped altogether,” said Frank, a retired milkman and dad-of-two and grandad-of-two.

“I tried to report this on the police website straight away.

“But it appears that they are only interested in gatherings that are reported while they are happening so I got nowhere.

“it’s very frustrating that ordinary people like me struggle to get any serious action taken.

“But the police and our council have to act together to stop these youths gathering there and turning this corner of our lovely town into one big sprawling, disgusting rubbish tip.”

Outraged Frank took an eye-opening video of the horrifying mess he stumbled across to showcase the size of the issue as well as dramatic pictures.

“Rubbish and waste attract rubbish and waste.

“If the culprits think they can get away with it they’ll just carry on behaving badly,” insisted Frank.

“So this menace has got to be stamped out now.”

A Leicestershire Police spokesman said Harborough-based officers will be carrying out special patrols at the hotspot.

“Officers from the Harborough and Wigston Neighbourhood Policing Area (NPA) are aware of the issue and will carry out patrols in the area as part of their ongoing work to tackle anti-social behaviour,” he said.

Cllr Phil Knowles, leader of Harborough council’s Liberal Democrats, said: “I deplore this sort of blatant fly-tipping.

“I am pleased that the police say they are going to increase patrols to put an end to this.

“And I would urge anyone who knows who is to blame for this disgraceful behaviour to tell the police immediately.”

Harborough District Council has been asked for a comment.