Residents were left “horrified” after mindless yobs started a fire in a Faversham play park.

Those visiting the site next to Selling Primary School in The Street discovered a pile of charred items, smashed glass and dog poo left on the grass.

The culprits also attempted to burn wood chippings used for the play area, which one resident said could have made the fire much worse.

One person shared pictures of the aftermath of the blaze on a local Facebook group, and wrote: “We regularly go to the park in Selling that is next to the primary school.

“Today we have turned up to see someone has started a fire on one of the children’s play equipment, with glass shattered all around, and dog poo left on the grass.”

The resident said they had cleared some of the mess left behind by the yobs.

The site is managed and owned by the Selling Village Hall Committee, but is also supported by funds from the parish council.

'It makes you exasperated and makes you think why we bother when people don’t appreciate it...'

Chairperson Sue Smart said: “Someone had piled in a ball, jacket, bark and all sorts of things in a delta bowl - which is a metal bowl that children sit in and whizz around in.

“Someone cleared most of it and reported it to the police.

“We were able to clean it up but there was bark everywhere. They found dogs’ mess in there as well.”

Ms Smart said the committee was “pretty horrified” by the blaze.

“We try to do things with the help of the parish council, otherwise the village hall has to support it with funds, and with Covid we didn’t have any and we’re still struggling,” she said.

“It makes you exasperated and makes you think why we bother when people don’t appreciate it.

“Maybe it’s not local people. Maybe it’s young children on their bikes coming up here causing trouble - I don’t know. But what do they achieve?”

She told how the yobs had also tried to set bark from the play areas alight.

“If it had caught fire, it could have been much worse,” she said.

While the incident has shocked residents, Ms Smart says anti-social behaviour at the park is not a “regular happening”.

A police spokesman confirmed the force was contacted about the fire shortly before 7.30pm on Friday.

“It was reported that, at about 6pm that evening, a small fire had been seen at a play area in The Street, Selling,” they said.

“The fire was no longer alight at the time the call was made.

“Officers from the Swale Community Safety Unit have been made aware of the incident and will continue to monitor the area to tackle any anti-social behaviour.”