Fire chiefs have lambasted tearaway youths who are "systematically destroying" a village playpark.

Watch manager David Welsh of County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service spoke after yet another fire at Coxhoe leisure centre playpark, in Coxhoe, near Durham.

Crews from Spennymoor were called out to reports of park benches on fire at the park next to the Active Life Centre at 7.20pm on Saturday.

They are thought to have been set on fire deliberately.

Watch manager David Welsh said: "This is not the first time our crews have been called to this area, and we are led to believe that youths have been setting alight wheelie bins and benches within the playpark.

“This is a lovely park and it is being systematically destroyed by youths. The fires we attend here are in difficult to reach areas with our equipment and I fear that eventually the leisure facility will be targeted once again and it will be a massive loss to the community."

If anyone has any information in relation to this incident, should contact call FireStoppers anonymously on 0800 169 5558 or make an anonymous report online firestoppersreport.co.uk. They can also contact Durham Police on 101.