ANGRY parents have hit out at ‘mindless’ vandals who set fire to a children’s play area.

The arsonists targeted the pirate ship in Darlington’s South Park just before 8pm on Monday night.

Video: James Marshall

Council bosses taped off the area damaged during the attack, but have reiterated that it is business as usual in every other area of the popular park.

Young children are still able to use the vast majority of the play equipment, but people with young children were still angry about the vandalism.

Julie Bowen, who was at the park with two of her grandchildren, said: “Why would anyone do something like set fire to a children’s play area? It is just mindless and stupid.”

And Jayne Robertson, who was in the park with her children, added: “It makes me so angry that anyone would do this, especially the part of the park for the really little ones.”

The alarm was raised just before 8pm on Monday when flames were spotted.

Witness James Marshall said: “I didn’t realise it was a fire to start with until I started to walk over to it because I could see a glow between the trees.
“As I walked over I could smell the smoke and realised it was a fire so I called 999 but the police had already turned up. I let the fire brigade know there was a fire in the South Park and they said there there was a truck en route.”

The Northern Echo:

Fire rages at the play area in South Park. Picture: Ian Thornberry / Northern Echo Camera Club

A Darlington Borough Council spokeswoman said the repairs will be carried out as soon as possible and that the rest of the park was open as usual.

She added: “The vast majority of the play area is undamaged but the pirate ship will remain cordoned off until it is replaced and the child-friendly surface is repaired.”

A spokeswoman for County Durham Fire and Rescue said that crews were called to a report of a fire involving playground equipment.

  • Anyone with information is urged to contact Darlington Police on the non-emergency number 101.