A PENSIONER has accused Kirklees Council of allowing his local recreation ground to become a wreck.

Les Boothroyd claims that Birchencliffe Rec’ has been left to rot while other parks have benefited from expensive upgrades.

“The park is a disgrace,” said the 76-year-old.

Mr Boothroyd, who lives on nearby Rock Road, walks his West Highland white terrier Milly in the rec every day.

He said: “The entrance to the park is absolutely atrocious. It needs rebuilding because it’s too narrow for prams to fit through. It might have been acceptable 50 years ago but it’s not appropriate for modern life. The footpath needs attention because it gets slippery when it’s wet.

“There’s no pathway to the swings and slide so people have to go through the long grass to get there.

“The grass is a foot high, it’s up to a toddler’s waist.

“The swings have been there for 20 or 30 years. They don’t meet modern safety standards and they don’t look nice either.”

Mr Boothroyd has lived near the park on Yew Tree Road for 28 years.

He said: “The park has been neglected for as long as I’ve lived here.”

A council spokesman admitted that the rec was not as up-to-date as other parks but denied the park had been overlooked.

He said: “While the facilities at Birchencliffe rec are less modern than those in some of our other parks, the area has not been neglected.

“Play equipment is in working order and young people enjoy what the park has to offer, including a teen shelter.

“It is true that a grass cut was overdue and this will be happening in the next couple of days.

“We work hard to maintain all the parks of Kirklees, sometimes in challenging circumstances, and there is also an ongoing programme to provide new play areas across the district.”