GLUM pupils have endured a 15-month wait to use new playground equipment at their school after it was labelled unsafe.

Now education bosses are considering legal action against the firm which fitted the climbing tower, slide and clamber nets in a bid to resolve the problem.

The project at Cedars County Infant School, Blackburn, cost £15,000 but the play equipment has remained untouched after problems were spotted by independent inspectors.

A report from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents in November stated: "Our inspector is concerned that the equipment has been poorly constructed and installed."

School staff are furious that seven-year-olds, who were in reception class when the plans were first drawn up, are due to leave for the juniors in the next few weeks having never had a chance to play on their dream facilities.

And they demanded that building contractors Sovereign carry out improvements - and fix the "wobbly" six-foot tower.

Headteacher Liz Beaumont said: "If the children had ever played on it I hate to think what would have happened. We have had no choice but to expose what has happened as we are utterly unhappy. It has been an on-going frustration for years.

"We picked this company because we believed they were a national leader in their field. It has all been horrendous."

The plans were initiated in 2001 and, after getting the governors' green light, the hilly school site in Hawthorn Street was levelled and re-surfaced at a cost of £7,000.

Then in spring last year the equipment was installed by Sovereign, based in Southend, after the contract was sent out to tender. But the RoSPA report highlighted problems after the £8,000 bill was settled by the school.

Jackie Clarey, project co-ordinator at the school, said: "We had to pay straight away as we are not allowed to keep money in reserves. But now getting it fixed seems impossible. "Although RoSPA concluded that problems with the play equipment were low risk we didn't think that was good enough."

All schools require an independent inspection on new equipment for insurance purposes.

The school has contacted Blackburn with Darwen council, which has informed the authority's solicitors. Andy Docherty, assistant director of legal services, said: "Legal advisors have been in touch with the school and are working with them to consider what action to take."

Staff from Sovereign visited in December 2003 and April 2004. They wrote in May to say repairs would take place "towards the end of this week" but nothing has as yet taken place. No one from the company was available to comment.