A COLLEGE has rejected claims that its students are to blame for litter in a Darlington park.

Residents have complained that rubbish is left in Stanhope Park on a daily basis and say students from nearby Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College are to blame.

One householder, who asked not to be named, said: "The problem seems to be that there are groups of people who delight in dropping as much litter as they can.

"I think the students of the sixth form college are to blame - I see them in there doing it. The council does regular clean-ups but it should be handing out heavy fines to them."

Another resident said: "Some of the students are definitely the perpetrators.

"I'd like to see more draconian action from the council."

Darlington Borough Council said it planned to hold meetings about the mess with students at both the sixth form college and Darlington College of Technology.

A council spokesman said: "Stanhope Park has been really quite strewn since the students went back. We know there is a problem and are going to talk to the student councils.

"Clearly the problem is greater when the students are back in college. We are going to see if we can get help from inside both of these places by asking the students to put their litter in the bins provided."

He said that extra bins had been put in the park and warden patrols stepped up.

College principal David Heaton said: "I think this college is a soft target when it comes to handing out blame. We do an enormous amount with our students to ensure they don't drop litter."

The college has signs warning students not to drop litter, its own litter bins in Vane Terrace and pays for a litter-collector to clean up the park each day after lunch during term time.

Mr Heaton said: "I'm not sure what more we could do. I accept there is a problem but I don't think our students are the cause."

No one from the college of technology was available for comment.