£150,000 is to be spent on a brand new play area for Swan Mead Park.

Practically all the equipment in the existing play area had to be removed last year, after serious vandalisation and fire damage occurred.

At the time Vange councillor Aidan McGurran, said: "It is frustrating to see problems of anti-social behaviour in the park. Young children use this equipment, especially as lockdown is lifted.

"It was the main bit of wooden equipment like the galleon ship which was set alight, and damage was caused from vandalism on other apparatus too.

"Because of the material of that structure, if it is set alight it can of course spread. It's such a shame to see."

The improvements are happening as part of the council's play review, which will see the council spend up to £9 million on play upgrades over the next ten years.

Chairman of the Neighbourhoods and Public Spaces Committee, Cllr David Harrison, said: "This is an important site for the council, and we aren't going to let the vandals win.

"We want to make sure there are high quality play facilities on offer for the children there. The works will be completed this year and a state-of-the-art play area will be returning to Swan Mead.

"As part of our play review, significant investment will be made to improve the play offering for children across the whole borough."