Drugs den

It is one of the last remnants of a quarry which was operating until around the early 1920s. But its secluded location has made it attractive to drug users.

The Evening Advertiser was shown the cave by Junior Bent, a regular user of Town Gardens. He spotted it three weeks ago and was surprised about how close it was to a public park.

Mr Bent (pictured), 41, said: "I cannot believe what was in the cave. The Town Gardens is such a lovely place and it shows that even nice places have an ugly side."

"It's clear that people have been living in there and there are syringes and needles inside.

"The scariest thing is that children who must play in the park might go into the cave and hurt themselves."

The cave is set well back behind trees, not far from houses in Penfold Gardens. Pedestrians using the path leading from the park into Goddard Avenue would probably not spot it.

The area around the cave is extremely untidy, and in spite of being so close to homes, is remarkably secluded. Litter is strewn across the site.

Inside, blankets are laid out and there are crisp packets, bottles, cigarette ends, as well as discarded needles.

Council leader, Mike Bawden (Con; Old Town and Lawns) said: "I cannot believe that this drug den is so close to the Town Gardens."

"I have contacted Swindon Services to take the necessary steps to clean up the area and I will be asking the police to keep an eye on the area."

"The area has been identified as Swindon Council land and the borough will be doing something about it. We've got to take appropriate action to ensure it does not continue being used for what it was being used for."

Coun Wendy Johnson, (Lib Dem, Old Town and Lawns) was unsurprised that the cave may have been used by drug-takers.

She said: "It is a very secluded place and these sorts of places are used for those sorts of activities. Unfortunately drugs are an everyday occurrence so I recommend to parents not to let their children not go near that area in the coming week of half-term."

David Cork, manager of the Druglink, the drug information and advice centre on Victoria Road, said he was surprised about the cave.

He said: "We run a needle and syringe exchange scheme and the return rates are extremely high, usually around 80 per cent."

"We are disappointed materials from this cave have not been binned or disposed of safely as we usually have a good record."

The cave is also thought to be an area for rough sleepers. Insp David McMullin, central sector police inspector, said: "We have been quite effective in tackling drugs and drug abusers in the Old Town area so people who persist in this have to find alternative places to go which are not so visible.

"We are continually chasing them around and out of places.

"While we have had no reports of this place being a drug den we will patrol it on a regular basis and deal with whatever we find there. Our concern is now heightened, there will be extra patrols and we are grateful to the Evening Advertiser for bringing it to our attention."

Constance Appleford, 86, a former teacher, lives near the cave. She said: "I call them, the old catacombs. I have never heard of anything going on there. But I cannot walk too well, so I never go near them anyway."

Stanley Kurnock, 79, is retired. He too, lives near the cave. He said: "I am surprised, but it doesn't really bother me, it's certainly not something I would want to get involved with."