Play park in Eglinton destroyed in vandalism attack

Q Newsdesk

Vandals have torched a children’s play park in the Derry-Londonderry village of Eglinton.

Thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused after swings, a wooden hut and a climbing frame were set alight overnight.

A children’s play park in Eglinton village has been torched by vandals overnight. A lot of the wooden equipment has been either completely destroyed or damaged. The gates of the park are locked up pic.twitter.com/rFlm9nko2y

— Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) 13 January 2019

Parents bringing their children to the park this morning were met with a locked gate and the ruins of the equipment inside.

The park has now been forced to close until it can be restored or replaced.

James Moore brought his little boy Lucas to Eglinton village play park this morning to find it locked after vandals torched the equipment overnight. He says his son and his daughter Ella are devastated pic.twitter.com/qiTMytc5iI

— Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) 13 January 2019

In a post on social media Foyle MLA Mark Durkan said

"Disgusting vandalism of the play-park in Eglinton that is used and enjoyed by so many families from the village and beyond."

"I,along with SDLP Councillors, will be working to ensure the park can be restored and reopened as soon as possible."

"I would urge anyone with any information about this attack on the community to come forward with it."

Other local representatives have also condemned the attack:

A children’s play park in Eglinton village has been torched by vandals overnight. The wooden play equipment lays in ruin today and the park is locked up. Local Councillors @duponline Graham Warke and @SDLPlive Jim McKeever are at the scene pic.twitter.com/jImBj0qLGn

— Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) 13 January 2019