WORSHIPPERS at a Worcester church have called on the community to respect its grounds after dirty needles and empty beer cans were discovered.

St Clement’s Church has been battling against anti-social behaviour for a number of years but one parishioner is convinced it has been getting worse in recent weeks after he made the grim discovery outside the church in Henwick Road.

The Rev Sherry Bloomer said: “It’s a no alcohol area and people do abuse the quiet and open space which is, essentially, a place sacred to the dead.”

But she added that the the space would not be closed to the public just because it is being mistreated by a minority.

“We just asked people to respect that space for what it is,” she said.

Simon Degaris, aged 21, of Mallard Close, Lower Wick, is the parishioner who found the needles and cans to the side of the parish room which is in between the churchyard and parish garden area.

It was reported to the local community support officer and Worcester City Council. He said: “I told them we were holding an event at the church where there would be children.

“But the next day, nothing had been done. The problem has got worse. There are cans still left there and needles galore. We’ve had no support and it’s been reported many times.”

A spokesman for Worcester City Council said it had sent a a team out to the church but it was unable to find the needles. It turned out they were on private land so we couldn’t clean the area without permission,” he said. “We will be contacting the police to see if this is an ongoing problem that we can work with them on.” A spokesman for West Mercia Police said the local policing team had contacted the church. “They increased patrols around the area and contacted the council on the church’s behalf to alert them to the problem of the litter and drug paraphernalia,” she said.

“Policing teams are aware of previous issues in the area. They advise people at the church and still patrol the area regularly.”