Dismay over park's fenced off play equipment

Derbyshire County Council said the equipment had been fenced off for safety reasons

Parents have spoken of their "disappointment" at playground equipment at Alfreton Park being cordoned off less than two years after it opened.

Derbyshire County Council said some of the equipment was taken out of use in August to ensure they were safe to use, but the site remained open.

The playground opened in 2023 after the former playground at the park closed in 2020 to make way for a new special school.

Jack Bradley, cabinet member for SEND and education at the Reform-led authority said they were "working hard" to get all the play equipment fixed and safe to play on at the earliest opportunity.

The council said by the end of this week only one item should be out of use as it requires a specialist repair which would be carried out "as soon as possible".

Paulina Rakowicz, who lives in Swanwick, and has two children told the BBC the cordoned off playground equipment had "really affected" families in the area over the school holidays.

"If you have more than one child especially in different age groups, it's hard to pay every day for activities," she said.

"If the weather is nice and the sun is out, you want to go to your local park," she added.

Michelle Breffitt, who lives in Alfreton and has a nine-year-old son, said the green areas around the park were a "wonderful space" but children had been left without a playground for a "long period".

"I just feel like the children of Alfreton have really missed out in what could have been a wonderful space for them to make happy memories," she said.

Bradley said: "At times we have had to cordon off some equipment until repairs could be undertaken to ensure these items were safe to use.

"We do understand the frustrations of local people and are working hard to get all the play equipment fixed and safe to play on at the earliest opportunity."