Arson damages Hinckley's new play area

The council say the damage will cost £10,000 to fix.

It's estimated that vandals have caused £10,000 worth of damage to the new play area in Argents Mead after a fire. 

Fire destroyed a play house and the surrounding safety surface in the popular children’s playground which opened in the summer of 2016. 

Police have retrieved very significant CCTV footage from Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council’s extensive town centre and Argents Mead camera network and are progressing with their investigations.

The damaged play equipment has now been removed and the play area remains open to enable younger visitors to enjoy playing in the award winning park.

The council is working to get the equipment replaced and the damaged safety surface repaired as soon as possible. 

Cllr Mark Nickerson, Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services at the Borough Council said: "This mindless act of vandalism has caused a great deal of damage that will cost thousands of pounds to replace. 

“It is extremely sad that as well as depriving children of this much-loved and popular play house, the vandals have wasted the time of the fire service with this idiotic and highly dangerous act.  We are fortunate that fire fighters were able to contain the blaze before it spread to other equipment and nearby trees.

We will not tolerate such senseless vandalism. We will catch the perpetrators and they will be prosecuted for this disgraceful act."