A CALL has been made for softer surfaces in play areas before a child is seriously injured.

Conservative Group leader Coun Peter Britcliffe is urging Hyndburn Council to take action after being contacted by anxious parents whose children use the play area at Knuzden.

Coun Britcliffe said: "This play area is concrete based and a number of children have had accidents."

Mother-of-two Christine Webb of Hardman Close, contacted the councillor after a neighbour's little girl fell off equipment and banged her head.

She said: "My two have had grazes and I have seen a few children come off screaming. We want wood chip or rubber tiles put down before a serious accident happens."

Coun Britcliffe said: "It is time the council sorted out the play areas before there is a serious accident or even the death of a child.

"It is no good the council crying poverty and saying they are cash-strapped when people can see money being squandered.

"Don't let us bolt the stable door when the horse has gone." Leisure services committee chairman, Coun Ian Ormerod, said the council had 52 playgrounds and the majority had safety surfacing of rubber tiles or bark chippings.

He added: "We would dearly love to have every playground with safety surfacing.

"Unfortunately, the finance can't run to that and the money we have tends to get hijacked through vandalism on playgrounds that already have safety surfacing.

"Knuzden has not been overlooked in the past and will not be in the future."

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