A COLLAPSIBLE supermarket cage abandoned near a children s play area has left one concerned resident off his trolley. The Tesco warehouse cage had been left near Avenue Park, Baldock, and a number of other shopping trolleys have been dumped in the surroun

A COLLAPSIBLE supermarket cage abandoned near a children's play area has left one concerned resident off his trolley.

The Tesco warehouse cage had been left near Avenue Park, Baldock, and a number of other shopping trolleys have been dumped in the surrounding area, including one in a churchyard.

The Baldock resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he does not know who dumped the trolleys but it had recently got worse and, despite contacting Tesco, they had not been collected.

He said: "There are always a number around Avenue Park, it is only over the last month that they have grown. It is dangerous because the area is used by children.

"I have spoken to Tesco on a number of occasions and my wife has also done this. The store is not taking its community responsibility seriously."

Tesco team leader Ellen Gully said she couldn't understand how the cage got there, and said it was "dangerous".

She said: "It's strange as they never leave the shop floor. I've no idea how it got over there.

"There must have been a misunderstanding at some point because we thought it was a different park in Baldock and sent a lad out to collect them."

When she was told the trolleys were still there, Ms Gully said she had sent over somebody to pick them up and bring them back to the store.

A spokesman for North Herts District Council said: "The responsibility for the safe storage of supermarket trolleys lies with the supermarkets which supply them.

"If complaints are made to NHDC it sends staff to check on the situation. If they consider the trolleys are causing an immediate hazard they are removed and disposed of."

On April 6 the Government's Clean Neighbourhood Environment Act becomes law and gives local authorities the powers to confiscate abandoned trolleys and sell them for scrap metal.

The resident complaining said Tesco should consider using the type of trolleys used by ASDA which have security mechanisms on the wheels which lock when they are taken a certain distance away from the store.

He also said Tesco removed the trolleys on Tuesday, but one remains in the churchyard.

Baldock East councillor Marilyn Kirkland said: "I can understand how frustrating it is to report an abandoned trolley or trolleys.

"Coins are a good idea, but often you do not have the right one and the elderly can find them un-user friendly.

"It may be a good idea for Tesco to have grids that stop the trolleys going out of the area, but this might be too costly compared to the amount of trolleys lost.