A COUNCILLOR is calling for a music festival to be relocated because of the “massive inconvenience” it causes Prestwich residents.

Cllr David Silbiger says people living close to Heaton Park, where Parklife is held each year, are “fed up” of the upheaval it causes.

Among the issues complained of are people urinating in gardens, drug taking, “loutish behaviour”, noise, littering and parking restrictions.

So far, more than 500 people have signed the petition calling on Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to move the event elsewhere.

Cllr Silbiger, a Conservative representative for Sedgley ward, said: “We have had enough. I get inundated with complaints every year, it is not a pleasant atmosphere.

“Our otherwise quiet residential neighbourhoods become busy roads for heavy traffic during the day and shortcuts for drunk festival-goers at night. We are totally fed up of intoxicated revellers urinating and sleeping in our streets and committing other public indecencies.

“I am happy for people to have a good time but these sorts of things need to take place in remote areas.”

Almost 80,000 revellers descended on the park two weeks ago for the two-day music festival, which saw artists including George Ezra, Solange and The Streets take to the stage. Tens of thousands also attended a show by Noel Gallagher ­the day before Parklife, while The Courteeners performed at the park last Saturday.

In order to avoid the chaos, Cllr Silbiger said some residents had gone away for the weekend but returned to find nitrous oxide canisters in their garden.

“It is massively inconvenient for people and you cannot get away from that.” he said.

“It has doubled this year from one week to two weeks and two events to four. What is stopping there being events there from June until August?

“The park takes weeks to get back to its normal state. People do not want this mess.”

Cllr Alan Quinn, who also represents Sedgley ward, said he had received “very few complaints” about the festival.

He added that it was unlikely to be moved elsewhere and that he believed it was better to work alongside organisers to tackle any problems.

The festival was held at Platt Fields Park in South Manchester but moved to Heaton Park in 2013 after outgrowing its previous home. Now in its seventh year at the site, it has built a reputation as one of the most popular music festivals in the country.

Manchester City Council’s executive member for skills, culture and leisure, Cllr Luthfur Rahman, said: “We are committed to making sure any impacts of Parklife on local residents are minimised. We review each year’s festival, to establish ways in which we can improve operations for the next event.

“Income generated through Parklife is reinvested into the park’s facilities, so that people can enjoy this magnificent green space year-round, while a Parklife Community Fund has also been established, to ensure that local community groups can benefit from grants to improve green spaces in their neighbourhood.”

The petition can be viewed at: www.change.org/p/manchester-city-council-say-no-to-parklife.