Long-term solutions are being sought to stop youths urinating on play equipment and destroying a new-look children’s play park.

Garry Turner and his neighbourhood watch team are calling for gates to be installed at the entrance to Wilmot Park, in West Hill, Dartford.

It follows reports of “gangs of youths” terrorising the playground late at night, screaming and shouting and smashing up temporary gates around newly installed play equipment.

Residents say it has been an ongoing problem for years but has got worse over the summer holidays with vandals urinating in the play area.

Last week fences were pulled down and balloons, cigarette butts and laughing gas cannisters were discarded.

After three consecutive nights of carnage park contractors have been arriving every morning to re-erect the fences and tidy the park.

But West Hill Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator Garry Turner wants to see a more permanent solution to the problem.

He told KentOnline: “We have police and councillors who do a great job and try to help, but we always focus on symptoms. We’d love to get some root-cause solutions.

“I’m sure there are some not-so-expensive solutions. Run some experiments and see what works and if it does not work we can try something else.”

Garry, 46, and his neighbours want to see CCTV cameras erected around the park or gates put at the entrance, which could be locked at 10pm and opened again at 6am

And he says neighbours would be happy to assist.

“If it’s a case that there would not be someone available to unlock and lock the gate everyday, I would be happy to do that,” he added.

“The community is keen to get involved. We have got to work together.

“But part of the problem for us is we have ideas but they are not being listened to.”

He has urged the council to “just try something”.

Neighbour Paul says he is disappointed the new playground is being destroyed before it has even been installed.

The 45-year-old parent said: “Don’t allow your new equipment to be trashed before it has even been finished. Don’t just turn a blind eye.”

“The graffiti is disgusting. My son is old enough to read that now.”

Garry, who helped set up three neighbourhood watch schemes in the area last year after residents expressed fears over their safety, added: “Deterrents are important rather than just fixing the problems as they keep happening”.

He pointed to other busy parks in the area with security in place.

And with Wilmot Park increasing in popularity the neighbourhood watch team feel it should benefit from similar measures.

A spokesman for Dartford council said: “The fencing around the new playground works is required for a short period and will be removed as soon as the play equipment is installed.

“It’s sad to see any criminal vandalism and we will continue working with neighbourhood police to tackle poor behaviour from a very small number of people who can spoil things for the many.

“Neighbourhood Watch certainly isn't being ignored and things they are asking for, such as improved fencing and gates at the entrance, are already part of the plan but it would clearly not be sensible to do this until the play space is complete and plant access is no longer required.”