£500 fine for climbing a tree... in the park!

FANCY climbing a tree, flying a kite or a casual game of cricket in your local park?

If you happen to live in one London borough, you might have to make other plans – as killjoy council officials are about to introduce stringent rules for park users.

Anyone clambering up a tree ‘without reasonable excuse’ could face a fine of up to £500. The regulations even ban people from singing if it annoys other park-goers.

Park police will patrol the areas and confront anyone considered to be breaking the bylaws, which affect 39 of Wandsworth’s open spaces. Those who do fall foul of the regulations in the south-west London borough, which include playing ball games in undesignated areas, could be kicked out of the park and face a hefty fine.

Kite flyers, model boat drivers and metal detector users also face having their equipment taken away.

Cricket is seemingly singled out, with one rule stating: ‘No person shall throw or strike a cricket ball with a bat except in a designated area for playing cricket.’

The bylaws state that anyone breaking them will be ‘liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale’ – which is capped at £500. The 49 regulations will replace 27 bylaws which have been in place since 1924.

The change was supported by 87 per cent of residents who took part in a public consultation, and the regulations are expected to be approved on Wednesday.

Josie Appleton, director of the Manifesto Club, which campaigns against overregulation, said: ‘ Even the po-faced Victorians could not have dreamed of such officious restrictions. Wandsworth councillors appear to have made a list of everything they don’t like, which appears to be most things that people might do in parks.’

A council spokesman said: ‘ The new updated bylaws mean we can properly deal with ... bad behaviour that damage our parks or causes distress and upset to those who want to enjoy them and in extreme cases, may even deter people from visiting them.’