Shrewsbury Town Council is asking parents to show some consideration towards other users of the Quarry Park and the Dingle in Shrewsbury.
Staff are aware of the Shropshire Rocks craze that is sweeping the county over the school summer holiday and have noticed numerous painted rocks being placed in and around the Quarry Park and in the Dingle.
The Town Council has expressed its concerns over where the rocks have been hidden, as many are being caught up in the mowers when staff have been cutting the grass, which has the potential to cause injuries to people innocently sitting on benches close by and can also cause damage to the machinery.
In addition, staff have witnessed young children discovering the rocks and throwing them at the ducks in the Dingle pond.
Painted rocks have also been removed from the Grade II* Listed War Memorial in the Quarry where they have been used to write on the stone plinth.
Helen Ball, Town Clerk for the Town Council has urged parents to have a common sense approach to this craze and said: “Whilst we do not wish to be killjoys, we would urge parents to ensure that their children are hiding rocks that don’t become a hazard to other users of the park, the wildlife which inhabits the park and our staff who work there.
“We have instructed our staff to remove the rocks if they believe that there is a danger to other users and if there are concerns that people’s enjoyment of the facilities is being affected.
“Parents need to make sure that their children are using non-toxic paint and that the painted rocks are dry and sealed with varnish, as requested by Shropshire Rocks, before leaving them to be discovered by other children.”
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