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Travellers have been causing problems pitching up at numerous parks, but one young man was determined not to let them ruin things for others.
For the past month, caravans have rolled onto Medway Park in Gillingham, Beechings Playing Field in Twydall, Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre and the Great Lines Heritage Park, Brompton.
In Twydall, the playing field was left covered in litter after Medway Council moved the travellers from the site on Friday, April 19.
Later that evening, while walking his dog late, Alex Wilkin, of Cranbrook Close, Twydall, decided to take action.
The 22-year-old said: “There was rubbish everywhere. The worst part was it looked like someone had ripped a caravan apart.
“There was water cans, a microwave, it was a complete mess.
“I went home, got my work clothes on, put my earphones in and just started tidying.
“I did it for the community but especially for the animals and little children who use the park.
“I’ve lived in Twydall for six years, and I thought ‘I’m not letting them do that to our park’.”
Mr Wilkins started his clear up at midnight.
“I did it for the community but especially for the animals and little children who use the park..." - Alex Wilkin
Throughout the night his girlfriend, Carla Leigh West, 20, ran out to give him cups of coffee while a friend looked after their daughter, Esme.
By 4.33am Mr Wilkin had filled 40 bags with the litter.
He said: “Quite helpfully some of the travellers had put a lot of their rubbish in bin bags already.
“People have been saying the travellers might come back next week, but I’ll be ready with my bin bags to tidy up again.”
Mr Wilkin kept Twydall residents updated with Facebook posts throughout the weekend and hundreds of people congratulated him on his initiative.
He said: “I got a thanks from Costa on Twydall Green - they gave me free drinks.
“Then the Co-op gave my girlfriend and our little girl a chocolate egg and me a box of Fosters.”
The council warden for Twydall posted on Facebook saying: “A massive thank you to the kind man that cleared Beechings Playing Field after the travellers left last night.”
