DOG owners in Basingstoke are being warned about park safety after a resident found needle-spiked sausage rolls in Stratton Park over the weekend.

Tracy Hook, 43, from Buckskin, posted the warning on a community Facebook page after her son discovered the offending items on Saturday morning (May 1).

The 17-year-old boy was walking along an alleway which connects the park to Cleveland Close, where he lives, when he spotted two sausage rolls "in plain sight", with several metal spikes sticking through them.

He returned home and told his mum, and Tracy immediately went out and collected them, throwing them away in the outside waste bin before looking along the rest of the alleway for any more.

"It makes you wonder at the humanity of people, how somebody could be so cruel," she told the Gazette.

Tracy's first point of call was the inform her immediate neighbours, many of whom are dog owners, before reporting to police.

She also decided to spread the message to the wider community via social media.

“Dog owners be aware!” she wrote.

“My son found these in Stratton Park this morning. Sausage rolls with spikes throughout.”

The post received more than 400 comments, with residents expressing their disbelief and anger at the situation.

Christopher Jenner wrote: “I find it hard to believe that anyone would want to inflict this much pain on any creature. I really do not understand.”

Amanda Edwards added: “Senseless, nasty people! Just don’t know what the world is coming to.”

The post was also shared multiple times, including by Basingstoke Parkrun, which is currently running its junior event on Sunday mornings at Stratton Park.

The team wrote: “For those who may be attending junior parkrun tomorrow, especially those with dogs, please look out and be careful.”

The Gazette has contacted Hampshire Constabulary for comment.