A car park that was recently reopened has been forced to shut again due to anti-social behaviour.

Harrow Council said disruption from “a selfish few” meant it had to close the car park at Harrow Viewpoint, in Old Redding.

Its gates were initially locked in September following reports of anti-social behaviour, including people driving on grassed areas, and to allow for maintenance to be carried out.

The council announced at the weekend that it would reopen the car park until January 3 to allow people to enjoy the nearby walking routes over the Christmas holidays.

However, it said it had to reverse its decision to protect residents after evidence of people breaking through safety barriers.

Cllr Varsha Parmar, who is responsible for the environment at Harrow Council, said: “I am bitterly disappointed that the actions of a selfish few have ruined the enjoyment of Old Redding for those who may have wanted to use the site for its intended purpose over the festive period.

“But it is vital we take this action as the behaviour of some have meant the site could be potentially unsafe.

“The scale of the anti-social behaviour, damage and thoughtlessness has meant that, for safety reasons, we have no alternative but to close the site again.”

Maintenance work at the site has been temporarily suspended due to weather conditions, though the council announced this will resume in 2021.