Residents have been left in shock and angered after a popular wooden climbing frame at a popular children's playground was set on fire.

Part of the 'Asda Park' in Bulleid Place, Ashford, close to the Designer Outlet, went up in flames in the early hours of the morning.

A playground in Ashford was set on fire in the early hours of the morning. Credit: Storm Barton

Shocking footage shows the playground engulfed by large flames while a firefighter tries to tackle it with a hose.

Storm Barton, who lives near the park, rang 999 at around 3.30am after seeing the blaze.

She said: "There was a loud bang it shook my house around midnight last night, so I went out but couldn't see anything so came back inside.

"I went to bed at about 2.30am to see my bedroom glowing. I looked out and the park was like that.

"I rang 999 straight away and went outside. It was horrible and so, so, so hot.

"The back of the houses could have caught fire as it was spreading so quickly. It was lucky the grass had been cut last week."

Ms Barton said the popular park will be a huge miss for children, but says most of the day it is filled with anti-social youngsters.

She added: "Its a lovely area but most days you have the park full of wannabe gangsters.

"At night it's even worse. There's silly music till the early hours, smashing glasses, shouting, or burning things. It's a joke."

A fire service spokesman said: "Two fire engines attended and crews used a hose reel to extinguish the flames.

"No casualties were reported and it’s believed the fire was started deliberately."

After the video was shared online, many people were disgusted by the incident and called on police and the council to do more to prevent a group of yobs hanging around the park.

Sue Yaxley said: "Mindless idiots, why would you want to do this, they can't be right in the head.

"I just hope who's responsible for this arson gets caught. Sadly it's the youngsters who will be denied playing in the swing park."

While Jennifer Ferris added: "I live where the small parks are awful as it is, that one was at least a bit decent.

"Big round of applause for the idiots who continue to go around wrecking everything. I'd set a teen curfew it's getting out of hand around Ashford."

Matt Sweetlove commented: "This just isn't good enough. The last few years bins keep getting burnt out, offensive graffiti on paths and fences and now our children's play park.

"This has to stop. Please can we see a few police patrols round.

"This all seems to happen around 5pm to 8pm after school. We know it will happen again this summer so let's be proactive this time if we can."

In a statement, an Ashford Borough Council spokesman said: “We are sad to see that the recently refurbished play area at Bullied Place, in South Willesborough, was set on fire last night and severely damaged.

"It has been reported to the police and our Aspire staff are on site assessing the extent of the damage.

“It is really disappointing someone has done this.

"It is one of our most popular, most loved play areas and the local community are going to be very upset about this mindless damage. If anyone has any information about this incident please let us or the police know.”