Councils counting the cost of vandalism at New Forest play parks

VANDALS struck at two children's play parks in the New Forest leaving one scattered with broken glass and another with a burnt out piece of equipment.

In the first incident, yobs took glass bottles left out by residents for recycling and smashed them at The Warren in Holbury just after 1am on Thursday 11th July.

The mess was cleared up later that morning by Fawley Parish Council staff.

Parish clerk Steve Postlethwaite told the A&T: “It appears that at about 1.10am residents were woken by the sound of loud laughter and smashing glass.

"We attended as soon as our staff came to work to find mindless vandals had removed a large number of glass bottles placed out by residents for recycling collection.

“[They] took them into our children’s playpark and smashed them all over the safety sur-faces around the play equipment. The harm this could cause to children, animals and users of the play area is unthinkable.

“This is another in a series of vandalism to our play areas across the parish that is cost-ing the council a considerable amount of money on unnecessary repairs.”

There was more damage in Pennington nearly a week later when, on Wednesday, arsonists destroyed a trampoline at the play park in Pennington Common, off Wainsford Road and Ramley Road.

The equipment, which belongs to Lymington and Pennington Town Council, was targeted some time between 5pm and 6pm.

Police are urging people to come forward if they were in the area around the time it took place and saw any suspicious activity.

Anyone with information should contact Hampshire officers on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.