SWINGS and roundabouts could be removed from ten playgrounds under new cost-cutting proposals unveiled today.

The closure of play areas across the town is designed to make saving of £200,000 in the Parks Service Unit of Burnley Council.

A report to the executive committee claimed the authority maintains a total of 75 playgrounds -- more than similar authorities.

The council believes ten can be scrapped.

The playgrounds earmarked for closure are: Hargher Clough, Phoenix Drive, Castlerigg Drive, Grisedale Drive, Deerpark Road, Rowley Lake, Mount Zion in Cliviger, March Street, Orpington Square and Aylesbury Walk.

Barry Gutteridge, executive member for leisure, said: "The council has invested a lot of money during recent years improving children's playgrounds and has built 14 new playgrounds in areas where there is greatest need.

"We are now proposing to close some of the smaller, less well-used playgrounds so that we can continue to maintain remaining playgrounds in a safe condition.

"Our aim is to provide fewer, better playgrounds. We are only closing playgrounds where there is an alternative playground within a few minutes walk." Park services manager Simon Goff said: "Recent surveys have identified that there are enough playgrounds for younger children, but that we have a shortage of facilities for teenagers.

"We need to provide better facilities for this age group.

"Our TeenZone project, which is funded by the Single Regeneration Budget, will improve facilities for teenagers at 11 sites in the borough and will include a new skatepark, refurbishing ball courts and provide youth shelters.

The TeenZone project will invest over £300,000 improving recreation facilities for teenagers during the next seven years.

A large part of the funding will come from the Government's SRB budget and will be matched by contributions from private developers and the council.

The news comes only a month after parents, volunteers and children carried out a candlelit vigil in a hands off protest before a council meeting against plans to cut the budget for children's play service facilities.

About 50 campaigners, many of them children accompanied by parents and grandparents, joined hands outside the town hall in December.

Campaign chairman Chris Keene said they understood the council had difficulties because of a fall in government cash and supported efforts to bring extra money into the town.

But, he said, they were fundamentally wrong to even consider cutting children's services. Head of community and leisure services Mike Waite said the council was looking into making savings by restructuring and using more part-time and fewer full-time staff.

He said the aim was that term time facilities would remain virtually the same.