AROUND 10 cars were locked in Tredegar Park in Newport earlier tonight after the gates were closed at 6pm.

Visitors, including a 10-month-old baby, were locked in the park until around 7.30pm.

It comes after park wardens were withdrawn from Tredegar Park after a warden was attacked and needed hospital treatment.

Newport City Council decided to withdraw the service every evening at 6pm with immediate effect until July 10.

The park remains open to the public until 10pm, but gates for vehicle access close at 6pm.

Tony Watkins, who was visiting the park with his family, said: “It’s very badly organised and very poorly communicated.

“The park was full of people and they’ve locked the gates.”

He added there were around 10 cars and about 30 people in the park when the gates were locked. Concerned visitors had rung the police as they didn’t know how to get their cars out.

A sign had been put up saying the gates would be closed at 6pm and reopened at 6am.

After Newport City Council announced that wardens would be removed from the park it emerged there had also been incidents of drug taking and stone throwing at wardens.

Newport council said there had been anti-social behaviour in both Tredegar Park and Beechwood Park involving youths with “taunting” and “verbal abuse” directed at staff.

Tredegar Park ward Cllr Trevor Watkins backed the decision to withdraw the wardens, saying the council had a duty to protect its staff.