AN increase in drug-taking and smoking of legal highs in and around parks in Kingsteignton has led to the police carrying out evening spot checks.

PCSO Anthony Wilson said they had increasingly been contacted about littering and anti-social behaviour involving drinking, drug taking, and legal highs smoking, etc.

Troublespots involve Longford Park, Oakford Lawn and Clifford Park.

PCSO Wilson said:?‘We have conducted numerous evening spot check visits and have found several groups congregating in the parks and discouraged them from dropping litter.

‘We have tried to educate them on the impact of their behaviour on the community as well as highlighting the drastic consequences of taking legal highs which more often than not contain illegal substances.’

He added: ‘These new psychoactive substances are highly dangerous as they are not regulated in any way and even the smallest ingestion can be lethal.’

With Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night just around the corner, the police are urging the community to be fire safety conscious and not to cause upset to vulnerable residents when out trick or treating.