A new family play area had its opening overshadowed when it was vandalised just days before its official unveiling.

Petty thieves dug up and stole £350 worth of ground mats from the park in Huntley Avenue, Northfleet just a few days before it was due to be opened on Friday. A knife was also found discarded on the floor.

No Walls Gardens, the group of volunteers behind the play park’s construction, were determined not to be beaten and managed to replace the safety flooring ready for a visit by former mayor of Gravesham Tan Dhesi and Northfleet North councillor Peter Scollard, who also co-founded the group.

The leisure area is now free for residents to use and features swings, roundabouts, climbing frames, tyre swings and other equipment.

It was built on disused land donated by building materials firm Lafarge and cost £70,000.

It is now down to residents to ensure they keep the park in good condition, according to Cllr Scollard, who posted letters to residents asking them to take care of it so youngsters can use it for generations.

He said: “We have asked residents to take ownership of this park – it belongs to them now.

“It’s frustrating that the mats were stolen, but these kinds of incidents are happening less and less because the community isn’t standing for it.

“The news had a massive impact on Facebook and I think the incident made people realise how much they like this park – so in a way I’m glad that it happened.”

The scheme was funded by Northfleet Big Local, who was given £1m to spend on making Northfleet North a better place to live and work.

The money was awarded by the Big Lottery Fund in 2011 to be spent over 10 years.

The knife found at the scene was collected by police on Monday last week.

For more information on No Walls Gardens, visit www.nowallsgardens.org