Shocking photos show rubbish left behind after illegal lockdown party in Goathland

Around 50 young people aged between 18 and 25 are believed to have travelled to Goathland - which is famous as the setting for the long-running TV series Heartbeat - on the Bank Holiday weekend for a gathering at the nearby Thomason Foss waterfalls.

They left behind detritus such as beer bottles, nappies and even discarded underwear. One resident had to remove human faeces from a bus stop and there were reports of partygoers defecating in gardens and the churchyard. The disabled toilets at the community hub were also broken into.

Despite the car park being closed, some drivers ignored the barriers and drove over a grass verge to access the spaces.

Goathland resident Bill Harrison said: "The toilet door was damaged and although one of the residents was good enough to make a temporary repair, the frame is detached from the building and will need replacement.

"As a village we have picked up roughly 60 bags of rubbish now from the Thomason Foss area from three consecutive days of young people from outside of the village coming, partying and leaving their rubbish everywhere.

"The beer bottles aren't the worst of it, there are used sanitary items, discarded underwear and human faeces in the bushes. I was lucky enough to shovel a human poo out of the village bus stop yesterday as well; because the village toilets are closed, people are using residents gardens and even the village graveyard as a toilet. There have been groups of 3-6 cars going down towards Beck Hole and the Foss all weekend and parking up to do whatever they were doing down there.

"In contrast there was an equivalent number (head for head) of families using the green outside the shops for a picnic and after three days all there was to pick up was a single tissue. We are definitely getting a large number of 17-25-year-olds coming out from urban areas and partying in groups.

"We don't normally see such large groups of young people in this area, Thomasson Foss has always been a popular spot but never in such large numbers. We have been onto the local police about it and they have been really good."

Rangers from the North York Moors National Park also attended the scene and the National Park Authority released a statement about the incident.

"Following ranger patrols we were extremely disappointed to find large amounts of rubbish at Thomason Foss near Goathland over the Bank Holiday weekend, as well as damage to the lock of one of our toilets.

"The local community has shown tremendous spirit and has since rallied together to help clean this up, as well as other rubbish found in the village. Our rangers were also out speaking to residents, engaging with visitors and trying to encourage responsible behaviour. They will continue to monitor the area for damage and to pick litter.

"Since restrictions on travel have been eased, we have been very clear that people should either avoid busy hotspots or continue to exercise close to their own homes. Goathland and Beck Hole have proved very popular so we would urge people to go elsewhere. We have issued a whole range of guidance to support this via our website and have listed alternative/quieter car parks people can use.

"If you have to travel to the North York Moors you must respect local communities and remember that the majority of facilities, including toilets, are currently closed. Many of our toilets, including at Goathland, will remain closed for a little while longer while we ensure appropriate safety procedures are in place before they reopen. We are planning to reopen more car parks and toilets over the coming weeks subject to Government guidance and ensuring the safety of our staff.

"Until then none of our car parks should be misused, nor should people ignore closures. These have been put in place to prevent locations becoming overwhelmed, protect local communities and to help maintain social distancing.

"The Authority, like many local communities, is eager to welcome people back, but never is litter or damage to public property acceptable. Please act responsibly and show respect for our National Park which belongs to us all and for the communities who live there."