A STRATTON man has warned of drug problems in a popular town centre park.

The 63-year-old, who did not wished to be named, said that he saw what appeared to be multiple drug deals taking place in Queen’s Park, off Victoria Road, last weekend.

The Stratton man, who was visiting the park with his son’s partner’s two-year-old girl and other family members, also said he saw some men push a middle-aged lady to the floor.

“We thought we’d take her [the partner’s daughter] along and feed the ducks,” he said.

The group visited the park at around 4pm on Saturday, heading to the back of the park. The man described seeing a group “smashed out of their heads”.

“They pushed this lady to the floor. She had just been walking around on her own.”

The woman, said to have been in her 50s, was uninjured, the man said.

Together with family members, the Stratton grandfather followed the woman out of the park.

On their way they saw groups of men and women wandering the park – with packages, believed to contain drugs, passed between them.

The man said: “More of these people appeared in the same condition. It was fairly obvious what it was.

“There were two people outside the park, checking there was no-one coming. To me, they looked like they were look outs.”

The family rang police on 101 – the non-emergency number used to report crime.

“The person on the end of the phone didn’t know what to do with our call. We were put on another line that was never answered.”

It has left the Stratton man, who works in the security industry, reluctant to return to Queen’s Park.

“We try to go there once every couple of months. I’ve never seen it like this before. Certainly at this moment I wouldn’t go there.”

Councillor Stan Pajak, who represents Eastcott ward, said: “It seems to be the parks that suffer from this. For some strange reason it’s on the rise again and unfortunately Queen’s Park is suffering like a lot of other places.

“We have found bits and pieces [of drugs paraphernalia], and we need to take action before it becomes a major problem.

“If people see it [drug dealing], the thing is to call 101. That way, the police log it as an issue and give it the priority it deserves.”

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: “We have recently had a number of successful results at court – taking drug dealers off the streets and protecting vulnerable people within our society.

“We would continue to encourage members of our community to report any drug activity in their area – we will always act on information we receive.”

Is there a problem with drug dealing in your park? Contact the Swindon Advertiser on 01793 501806 or newsdesk@swindonadvertiser.co.uk.