Town councillors in Mid Wales have called for a return of bottle deposits in a bid to combat anti-social behaviour.

Welshpool Town Council hopes the offer of cashback for glass bottles would stop them being smashed on the ground.

Yesterday, members heard broken glass, empty beer bottles, cans and other rubbish was left around the war memorial at Welshpool’s parish church.

Town councillor Stephen Kaye said he had seen at least 80 glass bottles and 90 cans on the site.

Colleague Ann Holloway said the steps from Red Bank to the church were “absolutely disgusting” with broken glass on Sunday morning.

Town mayor Geoff Cross said the problem was not just confined to the church.

“This has happened three times this week down on the recreation ground with bottles smashed in the stands,” he said.And Councillor John Corfield said: “How people can do this sort of thing is beyond comprehension, but to do it in a churchyard; you can’t get much lower than that.”

Member Roger Brown said: “It seems this is not only a problem in Welshpool but unfortunately in every other town in the country.

“In my childhood we used to have a deposit put on bottles and if we get the support of One Voice Wales, there could be legislation, maybe, by the Welsh Assembly, to put a deposit back on bottles.”

The council agreed to seek the backing of One Voice Wales, which supports local authorities in the principality, to submit the idea to the Welsh Assembly.

An apparent lack of action by police over the anti-social behaviour by youngsters in Welshpool was also criticised by councillors.

Mr Corfield said the town council had voted for Welshpool to have more police community support officers, and this anti-social behaviour was the sort of thing they should be dealing with.

“We wanted them on the streets of Welshpool, they are aware of this behaviour so I can’t see why they can’t prevent it,” he said.

Council clerk Robert Robinson claimed the problems had been brought up at the regular Partnerships and Communities Together meetings called by the police, but no real action had been taken.

By Deborah Knox