VISITORS to Verulamium Park are damaging one of St Albans most important Roman remains because English Heritage has failed to provide a new lock for a security gate.

The gate in the metal fence around part of the Roman wall in Verulamium Park has been without a lock for more than eight weeks.

At the weekend former museum worker Peter Wares photographed people walking on the top of the wall.

He had originally lodged a complaint with English Heritage at the beginning of June after he noticed that large flints had been dislodged from the section of wall known as the St Germain's Block.

He said: "I am surprised it has taken so long for English Heritage to get around to replacing the lock.

"If the gate in the fence was closed and locked people would not be tempted to climb on the wall."

St Albans District Council heritage and tourism portfolio holder, Cllr Melvyn Teare, said the council was dissatisfied with the service English Heritage provided in protecting the sections of Roman wall and added: "We will get something done about this as quickly a possible. It just needs someone to go and buy a lock out of petty cash."

A spokesperson for English Heritage said: "We fully accept that this should have been dealt with more promptly and it has been arranged for a contractor to fit a lock as soon as possible.