ORGANISERS of this year's Haworth 1940s Weekend have insisted they did their best to tackle the huge amounts of rubbish left behind.

They were responding to criticism that there was inadequate planning for the dealing with the piles of litter left by the thousands of visitors attracted to the event.

Haworth-based author and photographer Paul Hartnett, who took photos on Sunday of some of the worst hit locations, said: "These images clearly show the organisers of the annual 40s weekend bash failed to consider the trash that thousands of visitors would amass.

"Locals often state the 40s weekend is a plus for the village, but it is traders who profit, with the streets, parks and verges left littered and torn up.

"Both days saw alcohol being consumed on the streets, which is illegal. The hefty police presence didn't appear to address that."

Councillor Rebecca Poulsen (Con, Worth Valley) said she had received several calls from people concerned about the amount of litter generated by the weekend.

"It seems like there have been a few issues with rubbish this year, though apparently the park has now been cleaned and should be back to normal," she said.

"I think some of this has been caused by people who may have had a bit to drink and have been throwing stuff on the floor without even looking for a bin.

"Maybe more temporary bins will be needed in future, but I'm sure the organisers will be discussing this at their post event briefing."

Telegraph & Argus head of content and deputy editor Damian Holmes said: “We came into Haworth just after 9am on Sunday and the amount of rubbish around was appalling.

“But when we went to the play area in Central Park we were disgusted. Not only were the bins overflowing, with debris and detritus everywhere, but someone had actually defecated at the bottom of the slide.

“Arrangements should have been in place for the park, and the bins in Haworth, to be cleaned up much earlier."

The event's organising committee spokesman Nikki Milner said she and her colleagues had made sure there were extra bins in the park this year but she said a lot of additional rubbish was left by people who brought along their own food for picnics in the park.

"A group of us did go around tidying up and I know that by the end of the event on Sunday evening all the rubbish had been bagged up, because I went round and checked," she said.

"I don't believe it is illegal to drink alcohol in the street and I know that people leaving the pubs with drinks were being given plastic drinks containers, not glasses.

"But we do take on board constructive criticism and we know these are issues we need to work on again for next year. We're always trying to improve the event so we welcome feedback."

A number of traffic cones put out on the village's streets had been stolen. Each one costs £10.50 so reducing the amount given to the good cause supported by the weekend – military charity SSAFA, she said.