COUNCILLORS have warned that if parks in Barnsley continue to be vandalised there will be nowhere for children to go after vandals set a playground alight in Smithies just 12 hours after it was refurbished - causing more than £1,000 of damage.

Firefighters were called to Smithies Rec on Rotherham Road at 7.23pm on Monday to tackle a deliberate blaze involving the rubber matting at the play area.

Less then 12 hours earlier the refurbishment of the park had just been completed thanks to the Great Childhood Ambitions scheme.

Coun Dave Leech, who represents the St Helen’s ward, told the Chronicle the damage is ‘diabolical’.

He said: “It’s quite a big area that they’ve burnt out.

“It’s absolutely diabolical when it’s just been done and all they’ve done is just ruin it again.

“The work was completed just 12 hours before the damage took place.

“It’s just ridiculous.

“You’re trying to give kids better things and then for someone to destroy it is frustrating.”

Coun Leech said that it is only a small minority of people ruining it for the rest of the youngsters in the area - and said that money will need to be taken out of other projects for the repair job.

And if the antisocial behaviour continues repairs may become too costly.

He added: “This will have to be repaired again and money will have to be found from somewhere else.

“This is on top of the buddy swing getting destroyed earlier this year.

“It’s not cheap to do, either.

“It’s disheartening for us all because we put all this equipment in at a big cost and now it’s just destroyed.

“It’s the younger generation that are feeling the brunt of it because now they’re not going to have anywhere to go.

“That park will have to be out of bounds until it’s fixed.

“If it continues no one’s going to have anywhere to go.

“It’s absolutely disgusting.”

Vandalism at parks across the borough has been a worrying trend in recent months, and Coun Ashley Peace, who represents the North East ward, said he will continue to push for CCTV to be installed.

The calls come after Beck Park in his ward was hit - and he says the park may be forced to be permanently closed.

He told the Chronicle: “I’m deeply disappointed to see the Beck Park in Grimethorpe has yet again been vandalised.

“This ongoing damage is not only disheartening but places the future of the park at serious risk.

“After several years of repeated incidents, we are now facing the very real possibility of the park being permanently removed.

“I urge all residents to treat this community space with respect and to report any suspicious behaviour to the police or anonymously to crimestoppers, we will continue to push for CCTV to be installed.

“This is our community, let’s protect what we have before it’s gone.”