KIDDERMINSTER residents are being invited to have a heart and love their park on Valentines Day.

The Love Your Park event takes place in Brinton Park on Saturday, February 14, from 2pm to 4pm.

The event is being jointly organised by the Friends of Brinton Park and Kidderminster police to promote the safe and responsible use of the park.

There will be a competition to guess the number of footballs in a police car, with the prize of a romantic meal at the Watermill pub, stands selling Valentine roses and balloons and refreshments and home-made cakes.

There will also be a craft-making stall and information on the Friends of Brinton Park.

Before the event, police will be inviting pupils of Sutton Park Community Primary School to take part in a competition to design a banner.

In the past, concerns have been raised about anti-social behaviour in the park but increased patrols by the police, parks officers, and neighbourhood wardens are helping to restore public confidence, say police.

Local policing officer, PC Gordon Robbins, said: “The Love Your Park event is aimed at the local community.

“It is an opportunity for us to highlight the work carried out by the police and our partners to make the park a safer place for everyone to enjoy and to encourage people to take an interest in it, to use it and to report any problems at the time on 0300 333 3000 to give us the best opportunity to deal with the people involved.”

Community support officer, Gemma Goode, added: “We also hope the event will raise awareness of local policing and PACT (Partners and Communities Together).

“Concerns about anti-social behaviour and underage drinking in Brinton Park are among the current Sutton Park PACT priorities and an update will be given at the next meeting, which takes place on Wednesday, at 7pm at the Evangelical Church, Greatfield Road.”