Leicester: Suspected arson attack closes adventure playground

Firefighters tacked the blaze in the playground's art room on Wednesday

A community adventure playground in Leicester has been forced to close after a suspected arson attack.

Police were called to Windley Road on Sunday morning, when firefighters tackled a blaze in a building at the Goldhill Adventure Playground.

Bosses said the fire had a devastating effect on the project that runs a food bank, education sessions for young people excluded from school, and daily play sessions for local children.

A police investigation is under way.

The fire caused extensive damage to the building

Manager Dee Dixon said the playground would remain shut for the rest of the week while repairs and a clean-up were carried out.

She said a person had poured petrol near the project's art room and set it alight.

"We've lost so much in the fire," she said. "The roof joists are gone and it will have to be replaced.

"The fridges and freezers are burned out and we have lost the stock in them.

"There's not much left of the kids' lockers and their coats, bags and belongings."

Manager Dee Dixon vowed the project would "come back stronger"

Mrs Dixon said the playground, which was co-founded by Leicester author and Adrian Mole creator Sue Townsend in the 1970s, was at the heart of the surrounding Saffron Lane community.

"Local families rely on us," she said. "Normally we'd have 100 kids a night coming to play here and we feed them all.

"It's devastating, everything is wet, soggy and stinks.

"We will rebuild and come back stronger than ever but right now it's a mess."

Leicestershire Police said the fire was believed to have been started deliberately and asked anyone with information to contact them.