THOUSANDS of pounds worth of fines have been dished out to “moronic” boozers drinking in the award-winning Castle Park.

Mike Lilley, Colchester councillor responsible for public safety, issued a stark warning last month after council staff and police officers spoke to 120 people caught drinking alcohol in the popular Colchester park.

Like most of the town centre, the beauty spot is covered by a Public Space Protection Order, prohibiting such activities.

Yet council wardens have been forced to hand out more than a warning after repeatedly catching boozed-up visitors flouting the rules.

On Monday alone, nine £100 fines were handed out to drinkers in the park.

Then seven fines were dished out on Tuesday, alongside another five last week.

Mr Lilley hopes they will serve as an example to people thinking of taking a “crate of beer or a bottle of spirit” to the park.

“The figures we have seen over the past few days are extremely disappointing,” he said.

“Some people clearly think of Castle Park as a massive beer garden to drink in - well it’s not.

“There are lots of signs up warning against this kind of behaviour, lots of stories have been in the paper about the possibility of fines.”

He added: “Surely people can enjoy themselves without taking cases of beer over there, without drinking spirits there and getting completely drunk, making a nuisance of themselves.

“Castle Park is for everyone. It is a fantastic, award-winning park which people come from miles away to enjoy.

“Its gardeners take great pride in caring for the fantastic displays there, only for these morons to come in and drink and drink.”

Mr Lilley said cases of drinking at the park were indicative of a wider problem with anti-social behaviour felt throughout the Colchester borough.

Following a call from a ward councillor for greater help to combat anti-social behaviour in Dedham, Mr Lilley will be upping patrols in the picturesque village too.

“Since the relaxation of the guidelines it has started to become a bit of a nightmare,” he said. “If you want to drink, stay in your gardens, stay in your homes.

“We will be taking further measures, upping patrols and we will fine anyone we see drinking in Castle Park.

“These people think they can do what they like and we have proven that they can’t.”