A PETITION calling for CCTV at a Blackheath park which residents say is plagued by crime including including robberies at knife-point and sexual assault - has been turned down by Sandwell Council - despite attracting more than 600 signatures.

650 people signed the petition calling for CCTV at Britannia Park - with many saying they are too scared to use the park because of incidents of people being threatened at knife-point, robberies, sexual assault, anti-social youths on motorbikes intimidating people, drug paraphernalia left about and use by drug dealers.

They say they are scared to take their children there, with it becoming a 'no-go' zone.

But despite concerns Sandwell Council has turned down the request for CCTV - saying there has not been a significant increase in crime and anti-social behaviour over the last year at the park.

Hundreds of people voiced their concerns on the petition site at https://bit.ly/2w6UKBo.

Alison Wood commented saying: "My son was mugged in this park by someone with a knife when he was 13. The culprit wasn't caught, but if CCTV had been installed they would have caught the criminal."

Richard Webb commented: "I'm fed up of children being robbed in and around Britannia Park."

Julie Fereday stated: "Something needs to be done.

"Motorbikes all hours of the day and night and not safe to walk through our own park anymore."

Scott Sexton, who lives in nearby Regis Road, started the petition.

He was gutted at the decision.

The 31-year-old I.T project manager, who lives with his fiancee, said: "It's really disappointing - Sandwell Council is failing to deliver for its residents.

"It shows a complete lack of respect for local residents who took the time to support the petition.

"650 people have supported it and they have classed that as almost irrelevant.

"I have spoken to a local resident who was threatened at knife-point while walking his dogs - there has also been a sexual assault. I don't know where it's going to end."

Mr Sexton said he was challenging the decision and asking the council to provide the statistics it had based its decision on.

In a letter to Mr Sexton the council said it would not be installing CCTV, but would consider using deployable cameras where appropriate. It said it was considering a borough-wide response to the menace of off-road motorbikes.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "The park is owned by the council and as the cost for installation and maintenance would be borne by them, they would make the decision.

"We provide statistics on crime incidents."