Police patrols and visits by park rangers are to continue at a popular riverside visitor spot in Ilkley, amid worries about litter and anti-social behaviour.

Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) officers and an anti-social behaviour officer recently served official warning letters on local youths over their behaviour in the East Holmes Field and riverside area north of the River Wharfe.

But police say the area is still of concern to residents due to the influx of people visiting the river area during warm summer evenings and at weekends.

They say patrols will continue and further work is under way to deal with the issues on the longer-term basis.

Last month’s Ilkley Ward Police and Communities Together (Pact) meeting was told that the riverside and skate park area had been made a policing priority by the NPT, and Bradford Council park rangers have been making more visits during afternoons and evenings.

The first clash between Ilkley residents and the rowdier and messier visitors to the parkland came at the end of May, when the first hot weekend of the year ended with piles of rubbish, broken glass and discarded disposable barbecues left strewn around the East Holmes Field and ‘rocky beach’ area.

Ilkley people also complained about the behaviour of some visitors they believed were from out of town.

Police later held meetings with Ilkley people in a bid to identify the offenders.

A request for CCTV in the town centre was raised at the last Pact meeting, along with concerns about motorists using mobile phones behind the wheel.