Kearsley: Vandals target Pilkington Road children's playpark

People in the Kearsley area reported the damage having been done to the play area on Kearsley Park, Pilkington Road over the weekend.

Play facilities and groundwork at the park have both been badly damaged.

Cllr Paul Heslop, who represents the area on Bolton Council, said: “The play area is hugely popular with families with younger children and is often full.

“It is immensely sad to see this wanton destruction.”

The groundwork was also damaged (Image: Public)

He added: “The timing of this vandalism could not have come at a worse time, just as school holidays start.”

Kearsley Park serves as the area’s main parkland area and as well as being hugely popular with children and families also includes an area for playing football and a bowling club.

Damage was done near seating areas (Image: Public)

Photos supplied by Cllr Heslop show the extend of the damage done across the ground on the equipment meant for children to play on.

The vandalism was reported to him on the afternoon of Sunday July 23.

As yet, he does not know who is responsible for the damage but has asked for repair work to take place as soon as possible.

The area is popular with children and their families (Image: Public)

Children spent their last day at school before their holidays on Friday July 21 with the park having supposed to have been part of a range of planned activities.

The activities are meant to help give children something to do to keep them occupied and encourage them to exercise over the summer months until they return to school at the start of September.

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But despite the dismay caused by damage to the play area, Cllr Heslop says he hopes that the vandalism will not derail these plans.

Cllr Heslop says he hopes repair work will take place soon (Image: Public)

He said: “The council is planning activities on the park on Thursday July 27 aimed at four- to 12-year-olds but these should be on the main grassed area of the park so hopefully these should go ahead.”

He added: “In the meantime, I have contacted senior officers of the council to see whether they can urgently repair the damage and bring the play area up to a usable standard.”