COUNCIL Tax payers will have to foot the £2,000 bill for security patrols in Malvern's Victoria Park this summer.

Malvern Town Council took the unusual step of employing a private firm to patrol the park in response to public concern over supervision of the newly-opened skate park.

In addition to regular visits by local beat manager PC Ian Thompson and community safety officer Jenny Lawrence, a security guard was employed from 9am to 9pm, seven days a week, throughout August.

Town clerk Stuart McDonough said the council had plans for the supervision and management of the park once the £330,000 improvement scheme was complete.

In the meantime, a decision had been taken to employ a security firm for the school holidays.

Local people have been so concerned that they have formed a Victoria Park Residents' Association to discuss the social and environmental impact of changes in the park.

Chairman Vivien Shephard said they felt it was being increasingly dominated by an unruly influx of individuals with very anti-social behaviour.

"The new skate park has attracted large groups, whose foul language and behaviour intimidated other users", she said.

Residents were particularly worried about the use of the brook as a public convenience and felt the council was unconcerned, having sanctioned the demolition of the existing lavatories without making temporary provision.

Mrs Shephard said Park Close residents could no longer enjoy their gardens because of the offensive smell.

Mr McDonough said the town council was aware of the problem but had not received any complaints about the absence of toilets.

It had been decided not to provide temporary toilets, because semi-permanent ones connected to a main sewer would have been too expensive, while chemical ones would have been vulnerable to vandalism.

"A sign directing people to the nearest public toilets by the Fire Station had been repeatedly torn down and replaced", he said.

The new sports pavilion, including new public lavatories, was expected to be completed and handed over to the town council by Malvern Hills District Council this week.

"We are confident that once we can put in management arrangements the problems will decrease very markedly," said Mr McDonough.