A CHILDREN’S play area is set to reopen after being damaged by vandals.

Purleigh Parish Council vowed to reopen the playground after it was repaired following a worrying spate of vandalism in the village.

Now the work has been completed.

However, the parish council has managed to complete the repairs to the play area, purchase and install new equipment, which was fitted last week, in time for the reopening of the site.

Purleigh Parish Council town clerk, Jane Potter, said: “The new playground equipment has been installed in the children’s play area and was organised by the parish council to replace that damaged beyond repair by vandals.

“The council very much hopes that the children will enjoy playing with it and as a positive outcome of the damage a new organisation has been formed in the parish, the Purleigh Community Fund, whose aim is to regenerate the play area in conjunction with the parish council to enhance the landscape of Purleigh and create a community asset to be proud of.

“It is very much hoped that by getting more parishioners and their children involved in this project vandals will be deterred.”

Vandalism in the area was a growing problem, but the levels of petty incidents have fallen in recent months.

Mrs Potter added: “Since December 2015 there have been six separate reported incidents of criminal damage to cars and windows in Roundbush Road, which the council believed was caused by someone in a vehicle firing missiles from a catapult.

“Fortunately there haven’t been any similar incidents since then and the amount of petty vandalism remains relatively low.

“The council reports all and every incident of crime in the parish to the police and encourages residents to do the same to ensure that there is a robust response and that there are open and transparent lines of communication between the community and those responsible for local policing.”