Blaker's Park near Fiveways: The thump of foot against ball, the thwack of bat against leather echo around the pretty surrounding houses, punctuating the squeals of laughter coming from a group of youngsters sat in the middle of the grass.

An idyllic scene on a warm, early summer evening.

As I draw nearer to this cosy prospect, the youngsters depart, leaving behind them a sea of litter - plastic bottles, wrappers, cans and other detritus discarded without a thought.

Some of them pass close by me and my young children and I hear more pollution in the form of near-continual swearing.

Seething at their ignorant self-absorption, I walk on pondering.

Young people these days attach great importance to "respect" so why do they do so little to deserve it?

This was not an unusual group yet they seem unable to understand the mess they make does nothing for their reputation or respect.

They were very likely locals, too, and in a supposedly respectable neighbourhood such as this their actions are even more inexcusable.

Whatever, I muse. It isn't just the youth. Along with the chewing gum that splatters our pavements and the ubiquitous graffiti which adorns our buildings, there are countless piles of dog mess befouling our parks and paths and fly-tipped rubbish, anything from tyres and sofas to fridges, decorating our roadsides.

So, clearly, all ages are at fault. And it isn't just ignorant locals, either. Obviously, tourists and daytrippers take their toll as well.

I witnessed a group of foreign visitors happily photographing themselves on the seafront recently - only to leave half-a-dozen plastic beer mugs and fish-and-chip wrappers behind as they left.

Much is made of Brighton being a lovely place to live but it is also a victim of its own success.

It is no good blaming Brighton and Hove City Council, either. You could have a skip on every corner and litter would still clog our streets.

The solution? I suggest litter wardens in every park and in the streets, especially at weekends, with the power of arrest. I would even do it myself. Then I would have automatic cameras in every layby from here to Ditchling to photograph the next person who is too lazy to find their local dump.

Such irresponsibility needs a drastic cure before we all drown in our own waste, or, worse, get used to it.

-Ross Woodhouse, Brighton