An elderly couple who have regularly picked up litter at a park for more than a decade were fined after their dog strayed onto a football pitch. Janice and David Chapman, aged 79 and 81 respectively, were approached by Caerphilly council officers on June 6 and forced to pay £75.
The couple's house backs onto Virginia Park and for the last 15 years they have helped to maintain the field by voluntarily collecting rubbish. Janice said she was carrying "six or seven" plastic bottles when they were met by the council workers.
She said she had momentarily walked onto the pitch to pick up another plastic bottle when her chihuahua-pug cross Molly followed her. At the time Janice said the field was quiet and not being used for any sport.
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Janice said: "Our garden backs on to Virginia Park so we take the dog out for a walk a few times a day and pick up rubbish which we have done for about 10 to 15 years. We were walking out one day at about 11am along the edge of the pitch and then these two women came towards us when I had an armful of about six or seven plastic bottles. We didn't think anything of it but as I was going along picking up rubbish one of them said: 'Your dog is on the pitch.'
"This has never happened before and we have never seen those council workers before. We explained to them that we were doing the council's work by litter-picking. It was a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. We have seen others walking their dogs on the pitch."
David said when the couple tried to explain what they were doing the council workers "didn't want to know". He said there was no warning issued to the couple and they were fined £75 straightaway.
He said: "I pointed out that it's the end of the sports season and there were no people playing sports on the pitch. We were told that makes no difference and that the dog shouldn't be on the pitch. I said: 'You're not going to book us while we are out litter picking are you?' and they said: 'Yes'. They didn't want to discuss the matter with us or even give us a warning to start with."
Following the incident the couple said they emailed the council as soon as they got home to try to explain the situation further. However in response David said they just received a copy of the rules and therefore had to pay. "The council mentioned nothing about the fact my wife was litter-picking," David said. "There was no compassion at all and they could see the plastic bottles in her hand. The bottom line is we got fined for picking up rubbish."
Janice said the couple have received many messages of support from locals who thanked them for their hard work and believe they should not have been fined for trying to help. However the experience means she no longer feels comfortable to continue litter- picking.
She said: "The support has been brilliant, it does make us feel good, but we're not going to litter-pick now. I will pick up rubbish behind our back gate to make sure it's nice and clean but as far as the rest of the field goes we won't do that." Caerphilly council has been approached for comment.
A council spokesperson said: “We are currently investigating this incident and will issue a full statement in due course.“
