Thousands of pounds of play park equipment has been vandalised just days after being installed.

Swale Council spent £48,000 on an area specifically for teenagers at Milton Rec, complete with various pieces of equipment, including the South East's first teqball table designed to help youngsters practise their football skills.

It looks much like a table tennis table, but is designed for keen footballers to practice passing.

Other new features at the Vicarage Road park include a five-a-side football area and an aeroskate, which sees youngsters get on a suspended board and swing on a fixed track. There is also a skyrail challenge which runs like a zip wire, a rodeo board where people try to stay on a platform suspended by springs, and a roundabout suspended in the air.

The equipment was paid for with money from nearby housing developments.

It is in addition to the £500,000 the council plans to invest in parks and open spaces in hopes of getting young people more active and giving them somewhere to go with friends.

Cllr David Simmons, cabinet member for environment and rural affairs, said: "We’ve committed to investing £500,000 on parks and open spaces over the next four years, and we’re developing a rolling programme of refurbishments to improve a number of play areas across the borough.

“This new equipment is tailored towards giving teenagers something interesting to enjoy and stay active, which is vital for their health and wellbeing, so it’s really wonderful to see these improvements being made.”

But just days after being installed, the equipment has been vandalised, leaving councillors outraged.

Roger Clark, Conservative councillor for Milton Regis, said: “I think it’s absolutely disgusting, these people need to be found.

"We have worked hard to get this new area for young people, and it has been ruined in a matter of minutes" - Roger Clark

“We have worked hard to get this new area for young people, and it has been ruined in a matter of minutes.”

The glass partition which splits the two halves of the teqball table was smashed, and foul graffiti was scratched into the table’s surface.

Artificial grass has also been pulled up around the area.

A Swale Council spokesman called the act 'selfish' and said it was working to ensure the damage was repaired in such a way that it doesn’t happen again.

“It is deeply disappointing that someone can be so selfish that they deliberately damage equipment that has been installed for young people to enjoy and have fun with their friends.

“If anyone has any information about who did this, please report it to the police so they can be made to pay for their actions.

“We don’t want the vast majority of local young people to suffer because of thoughtless minority, so we are working to get the damage repaired in such a way that it doesn’t happen again.”