A CAMPAIGN calling on next summer's Parklife Festival to be scrapped has been launched by politicians.

Bury South MP Ivan Lewis and Sedgley councillors, Michael James, Alan Quinn and Andrea Simpson, have created a petition calling on Manchester City Council to end the staging of large concerts at the park, starting with the festival in June.

The Labour MP said that "enough is enough", after receiving recurring complaints from residents over drug taking, urinating in public, littering, and other anti-social behaviour.

At last year's Parklife Festival, music fan Robert Hart was murdered after being punched while defending his girlfriend, with three other stabbings being reported over the two-day event.

The petition calls on the council, which owns the park, to conduct an independent review of the impacts of large-scale events on nearby residents, and cancel events such as Parklife in the meantime.

This year's Parklife Festival is set to be held on Saturday, June 6, and Sunday, June 7, with a sold-out 20,000 capacity concert by Middleton band The Courteeners also being held on Friday, June 5.

Mr Lewis said: "Enough is enough. I receive hundreds upon hundreds of complaints every year following the Parklife event from Prestwich residents.

"Some residents feel frightened to leave own homes while the event is on. Some residents have had their property damaged and there have even been instances of festivalgoers urinating in peoples' gardens.

"Now the use of Heaton Park is being extended on the Parklife weekend we have to take action. I would urge Prestwich residents to support our campaign."

Cllr Quinn, who has attended dozens of meetings in recent years related to events in the park, added: "What we are now asking for is simple.

"An immediate end to large concerts taking place in Heaton Park. As local Prestwich residents and politicians we see the negative impacts of Parklife but the organisers seem to be in denial."

Residents are invited to discuss their concerns and sign the petition, which will be presented to the council's executive member for culture and leisure, Cllr Rosa Battle, at the Longfield Suite on Saturday.

Cllr Battle said: "We have already agreed to a meeting with Bury councillors which we are currently in the process of arranging."

Parklife organiser Jon Drape said it was a matter between Manchester city council and the petitioners.

He said: “We have got an application with Manchester City Council to hold the event, which we have been open about.”