Erewash Borough Council has appealed to local residents to help find the vandals who set fire to a basket swing at a children’s play area in Cotmanhay for the third time.
The popular play equipment had been repaired and reinstalled with a new seat and complete new swing assembly at the Beauvale Drive play area last year. It is thought the arsonists struck on or around Tuesday 15 March. The seat was destroyed and the safety surfacing was also damaged causing nearly £1,200 worth of damage.
Councillor Mike Wallis, Erewash Borough Council’s Lead Member for Culture and Leisure, says:
“This is absolutely disgraceful and very, very frustrating. How many times do we find ourselves saying that a piece of play equipment has been damaged? This should not and will not be tolerated. It may be that we remove the swing altogether and this would be a great shame as it would mean children and families who live in the area and enjoy the facilities would miss out. We need local people, local communities to rally and help us fight this problem – we can’t do it alone. Please be our eyes and ears and tell us or the police if you know who is destroying a facility that we provide for your children. Let the mindless minority know that they are not a part of your community.”
Anyone with information should contact the Police on 101 quoting crime reference 16 of 16 March 2016 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
PHOTO: Fire damaged swing and safety surface.
