A £63,000 play park remains padlocked shut because a council says it cannot afford to open it on a morning.

The children’s play park just off Fulbeck Road in Netherfields, Middlesbrough, was opened in August 2010 by the then Middlesbrough mayor, Ray Mallon.

Costing £63,000, the park was paid for by a £44,500 grant from the Department of Education, £7,000 from the Stronger Together East Middlesbrough Partnership and £11,500 from the Healthy Town programme.

But 14 months ago, the facility was permanently closed in response to complaints about anti-social behaviour and youths drinking there at night.

Jan Mohan, independent councillor for Park End and Beckfield, has campaigned for the Middlesbrough Council-owned park to be re-opened – but the local authority said it can’t afford the £3,000-a-year cost.

“We just want someone to come and open the gates on a morning and lock them again at night,” said Cllr Mohan.

“But the council says it would cost £3,000 a year and they can’t afford it.

“I asked Cleveland Police to see if a PCSO could do it – we were told they couldn’t.

“We’ve exhausted all our options – if I didn’t work, I would do it myself. ”

Cllr Mohan said the council has advised her to try and find willing volunteers to do the job.

“But it’s a tricky situation,” said Cllr Mohan. “When the park was open, there were a lot of problems with youths there – kicking off, drinking and generally being anti-social – complaints were made, that’s why it was closed in the first place.

“I can’t very well ask an elderly volunteer to be dealing with, possibly quite threatening, youths on a night

“And besides that, we would want any person coming into contact with children to be DBS checked.”

Former Netherfields Community Centre committee members George Chillmaid, 74, and Kevin Wardle, 73, were both crucial in securing the funding which led to the park being built eight years ago.

And both have previously taken up the duty of opening and closing the park.

“I don’t believe it costs that much to open and shut it,” said Mr Wardle who lives on nearby Glentworth Avenue.

“They open other parks don’t they? What’s the difference in opening a little park?”

Mr Chillmaid, who lives on Fulbeck Road, said: “When the community centre closed, the council emphatically said ‘we the council will look after this park'.

“All we’ve got is kids playing on the road while there’s a park worth £63,000 locked up.”

A spokesman for Middlesbrough Council said: “At present, the only parks we lock in Middlesbrough are Albert Park and Stewart Park, however we are happy for the local community to lock the play area should they wish to and we are currently speaking with a potential volunteer.”