Parents have stopped taking their children to a village playpark park which has been repeatedly targeted by vandals.

Fires have been started and equipment broken at the popular facility, located at The Meadow in Teynham.

Those understood to be responsible have been reported to police and the parish council is working with Swale council to try and find a way to deter vandals.

Parish clerk Chris McIllroy said: “Several of the safety surfaces have been burnt, and youths using an aerosol can as a blowtorch were spotted there over the weekend.

“As well as damage to the
basketball surface and the ground under the junior swings, it also appears attempts have been made at digging up the safety surface of some of the equipment.

“If the safety surface is damaged, it can lead to the loss of the amenity until repairs can be carried out which could be delayed until funds are available.”

Veteran councillor Ricky Barnicott, who represents the Teynham ward for Swale council, says there are “no words” to describe those responsible for creating carnage at the park.

He has been speaking with the parish council in a bid to find a solution.

Mr Barnicott said: “There have been a number of incidents recently but this is probably the most serious, and it is really concerning me.

“It is going to cost quite a bit of money to repair it and put it right.

“It’s just a real shame that these vandals have targeted a playpark – why there where children play?

“We provide this facility for the public and certain individuals want to ruin that. It’s pathetic. Hopefully we can find ways of solving this.”