A £37,000 parkour facility, which opened just two weeks ago, has been daubed with graffiti of genitals and expletives.

The equipment in The Strand Leisure Park was covered in penises, gang names and offensive language.

John-Daniel Scullion, of Retraceuring Steps Parkour which runs the council-funded park, was upset when he saw the graffiti.

He said: "Crushed is the only way I can put it - absolutely crushed.

"I had to cancel my classes, as a group of four and five year olds were on the way.

"I just don't understand how someone can think that's fun or ok."

He has set up a petition calling for better policing of the equipment.

The Change.org plea is asking Medway Council to fund lights and CCTV to deter vandalism.

The petition said: "For policing purposes, lighting and CCTV would give local authorities more of the means to pursue and prosecute vandals when reported.

"Real art is welcome at our park, vandalism is not.

"Children as young as four years old are taught the essentials of parkour and movement at this location several times a week.

"Their concentration should be on their safety and, of course, their fun, not the vulgarity we see here."

The graffiti also states that two people are gay.
In a Facebook post, Retaceuring Steps Parkour said: "The context and message is worrying.

"Being gay is not an insult nor something to be insulted for.

"I just don't understand how someone can think that's fun or ok..." John - Daniel Scullion

"I hope the culprits are found so their parents can teach them not only to respect property but to respect people."

Mr Scullion is planning on getting a graffiti artist to properly decorate the parkour equipment.

Medway Council is aware of the graffiti and will send a team to clean it as soon as it can.

There is no anti-graffiti paint on the parkour equipment as this would make it slippery, and unsafe for users.

The council does not accept petitions via change.org but to sign it click here.

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