A fake picture appears on social media, claiming to be a splash pad to press charges

An image claiming Wiltshire Council is laying charges in one of its parks is fake, the local authority has confirmed. The image, which was circulating on social media, falsely claimed the council would charge visitors to Chippenham’s John Coles Park from June 1.

The pixelated image appeared on Facebook this week, falsely claiming that with the cost of the splash pad rising, Wiltshire Council has been forced to introduce new charges which will be reviewed regularly. However, the council has since confirmed to Gloucestershire Live that the image is completely fake.

The local authority said in a statement: “You may have seen a social media post on the Spotted: Wiltshire or Shout Out Calne – Noticeboard Facebook pages about the introduction of splash pad charges at John Coles Park in Chippenham. We want to assure you that it is not true. Chippenham Borough Council manages the park, not us, and they have no intention of charging for people to use the splash pad.”

READ MORE: Bomb scare sparks eviction at city council

READ MORE: Prince William updates Kate about cancer during royal visit

It is not known who created the image or why they posted it online. The news follows a spate of recent stories about fake AI-generated images appearing on social media.

Earlier this week, a fake picture of singer Katy Perry at the Met Gala went viral on X (formerly Twitter). The star, who was not at the event, was forced to issue a statement after her own mother was fooled by the picture.

“lol mom AI got you too WATCH OUT!” Perry said.