VOLUNTEERS have been left to pick up the pieces after rubbish was dumped at a Langlee play park.

Bin liners – which included dirty nappies, cat litter and food packaging – have been strewn across the Beech Avenue facility three times in the space of just 10 days.

Among the fed-up locals who helped clear up the mess was Judith Cleghorn, the chairwoman of Galashiels Community Council and the Langlee Residents' Association.

She told us: "I hope whoever did this is feeling proud of themselves. It could be their kids getting cut of picking up a disease.

"I certainly wouldn’t have let my children into the park in that state."

On Wednesday, October 19, local residents picked up enough assorted household waste to fill eight large bags.

Since then, Karen Walker, vice chair of the Langlee Residents' Association, has been checking daily.

And just days later, more rubbish was discarded and subsequently removed.

But on Saturday, a further three bags appeared, containing empty beer and spirits bottles, food packaging, tupperware boxes, half eaten pizza slices and tin cans.

On this occasion a number of bottles were smashed.

On Monday morning, Ms Cleghorn and three other volunteers went back to the site to tidy the area.

She said: “The rubbish attracts vermin and this time there were only three bags.

"Last Wednesday there were eight bags so you can imagine what that looked like.

“I’ve been in touch with Scottish Borders Council and the subject will be brought up loud and clear at this week’s community council meeting.”

Mrs Walker added: “I don’t know why anyone would do this or what they get out of it.”