Buccaneer Bay in Dartford's Central Park boards up part of the lighthouse slide over safety fears
Published: 20:41, 12 April 2023
Updated: 20:43, 12 April 2023
Part of the main attraction at a new park has been boarded up over fears it could be dangerous for children.
The window in the lighthouse slide at the new Buccaneer Bay, in Dartford, has been made safe after parents voiced their concerns there could be a serious accident.
The window, which is near the top of the eight metre tall feature, is part of a climbing wall on the outside of the attraction, allowing children to scale the sides and climb in at the top.
But parents feared it could lead to children falling out or jumping out from the large opening.
A Dartford council spokesman said all the equipment had passed a safety inspection but it had listened to feedback from parents on how to improve things and acted quickly.
Katie Prouse, from Dartford, was visiting the park with her partner, her eight-year-old stepson and her two-year old twins when one of her toddlers headed for the window.
If it was not for their dad's fast reactions, the family day out could have turned to disaster when Louie tried to climb out the window at the top of the lighthouse.
Speaking before the changes were made, Katie said: "My twins followed their older brother. They were being supervised but Louie still decided to jump out. He's a bit of a daredevil. Luckily my partner was standing there to catch him."
She added: "I was there and their dad was there too, so there were two adults, but even that was tricky. I wouldn't attempt that park on my own with my two as it's impossible to keep my eye on both, especially with that tall slide.
"It needs to be changed for little ones."
Simona Haberova, from East Hill, Dartford, took her 20-month-old son Eduards there and was worried about the same thing happening.
She said: "These towers are nonsense. You have to really be watching your child in case they hurt themselves."
Fellow park-goer Nerius Zakarevicius, also from Dartford, said her heart was in her mouth the entire time she was at the park with her five-year-old daughter.
She said: "I went with my daughter and she went in this tower. That hole is really dangerous and looks really scary. Kids were pushing each other. I really hope no one gets hurt."
She claimed the inside of the tower caused an issue too.
She said: "It had bolts inside the tube; my little girl got scratched on the back."
Childminder Tracey O'Brien, from Greenhithe, visits the park regularly with three or four children at a time.
She said: "I know parents supervise their kids but it only takes that one slip. Parents and carers can't climb in there if they have other children.
"I followed the children I was looking after because I thought it was so dangerous."
A Dartford council spokesman said: “All of the play equipment was subject to a full independent safety inspection before Buccaneer Bay was opened and we carry out inspections every day.
"We did have some feedback on the opening weekend that it would be easier for parents to supervise children using the slide and the climbing wall if only one access was available so we happily made the change, closed the upper access and children now emerge only from the slide.
"We’ve had great feedback from visitors to Buccaneer Bay but it belongs to the community and we’re always happy to listen to suggestions to improve it.”
The park, which covers a two-and-a-half acre site in Central Park opened in March after a £1.2 million refurbishment.
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