Thorney play park closes three days after opening

The park opened on Sunday but was closed three days later

A new play park has closed just three days after its official opening, due to "wobbly equipment".

The park in Thorney, near Peterborough, was created on vacant council land after local people raised £42,000.

However, equipment was cordoned off earlier when concerns were raised about the "strength of the foundations".

Peterborough City Council, which will maintain the site, said the closure was temporary and it would reopen after safety recommendations were made.

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The park is the vision of Thorney resident Chris Vaughan, who set about a 15-month fundraising effort after seeing a similar park in nearby Market Deeping.

Thorney residents raised the £42,000 needed to build the park

"In lots of towns and villages that community spirit doesn't exist," he said after the opening. "But here it has been amazing - everyone has pulled together.

"It has been a victory for community effort."

The park opened on Sunday after a mammoth local fundraising campaign

However, three days after it opened, the park's equipment was fenced off, as local people were "not very happy with the quality of the installation".

"As well as wobbly gym equipment, we have concerns about the strength of the foundations on all the equipment," the group behind the park said on Facebook.

The park was created on council land after locals raised the money to build it themselves

Mr Vaughan said the closure had not dampened local spirits.

A spokeswoman for Peterborough City Council said: "We will inspect it again in the coming days. It will be added to the council's maintenance regime and will be checked on a regular basis."