VANDALS have ruined a recently redeveloped children's playground.

The roundabout has been stolen from the playground in Blacksnape Playing Fields, Blacksnape Road, Hoddlesden, and the rubber safety flooring beneath it has been ripped up and thrown around the fields.

Passers-by reported the damage on Monday afternoon to PC Phil Hambley of the Eastern Division police, who has alerted the council's parks department.

It suspected that groups of teenagers who gather on the playground in the evenings are to blame for the damage.

A woman who takes her granddaughter to the park, and who does not want to be named, said: "It's disgusting what they've done to the park.

"There is a terrible problem of gangs of teenagers causing havoc.

"The children who want to use the slide can't even do that because the steps have been burnt off."

PC Hambley said: "The park has had a lot of money spent on it recently, and work is going on to refurbish the pavilions.

"There has been damage in the past, but this is the worst it has been. A lot of teenagers gather there in the evening, and this is not normally a problem, but if this carries on we'll have to make moves to ensure that only small children use the playground.

"At the moment we can't ban anyone from the playground - that is a matter for the council - but if they were to do that, we would support them and police the area."

Coun Michael Law-Riding, executive member for leisure and culture for the council, said: "Work has already started to repair the vandalism that has damaged the children's playground in Blacksnape.

"The small scale graffiti as well as the anti-social behaviour is being dealt with by council staff and the community safety partnership."

On Wednesday, October 24 a youth P.A.C.T. meeting was held between Darwen police officers and teenagers at the gates of Whitehall Park.

PC Hambley said the teenagers he spoke to that night were appealing for more money to be spent on Blacksnape playing fields and the facilities there.

He added: "It's a shame that within a few days of young people being really positive about the area, that something really negative happens.

"We suspect it is young people who have done the damage."

Police are appealing for witnesses and urge anyone with information to call PC Hambley on 01254 353813 or Crime-stoppers on 0800 555 111.