VANDALS have damaged the new play equipment on the Mill Chase Recreation Ground, even before the official opening of the park. The new play area was only in use for three weeks before a keen-eyed member of the public spotted damage to the bolt covers on the net pyramid. Councillor and member for health and safety, Don Mayes said: "We can hardly tolerate the money spent on the new equipment, only for it to be damaged just weeks after its installation." The bolts are set recessed into the equipment, and then covered with a fitted plastic cap in order to prevent tampering. It is believed that vandals used a sharp knife or similar object to take off the caps. The council are now considering the best way to tackle the problem. Mr Mayes added: "We might talk about CCTV, but the fact is, we already have it in place at the pavilion and that does not stop youngsters causing damage to the guttering and down pipes there. "We need to encourage youngsters to stop vandalism, rather than discourage them from doing it." Police recently changed their drive-by route in the area, so it will now include Mill Chase Road and the recreation ground. It is hoped that the increase in monitoring will prevent any further acts of vandalism.
