Vandalised playground to get full upgrade next year

A playground which was closed after it was vandalised will be fully refurbished early next year, according to a senior councillor.

The play area in Sefton Park was shut after large parts of the the rubber flooring material was ripped up.

Sefton Council said the vandalism was "extremely upsetting" and maintenance work would be completed next week, before a full upgrade in early 2027.

Some parents told the BBC the play area had been in a "run down state" for several years. Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins said the authority was committed to replacing all play equipment across the city's play parks.

Sefton Park is one of Liverpool's most popular green spaces.

A Liverpool City Council spokesperson said: "We are sorry to confirm that the playground is closed at the moment due to damage to the surface which needs repairing.

"We know how valued our playgrounds are which is why we are investing in renewing many of them.

"It is extremely upsetting for local communities when they are deliberately vandalised and would appeal for anyone with information to get in touch."

The gate to the play area has been chained shut, and the swings have been removed to discourage people from entering.

Joyce Youds said her granddaughter was disappointed that the playground was closed, but said: "It's been a real mess for years."

"There's been local campaigning about it, but nothing gets done," she said.

"The flooring's been a mess the whole time, this isn't just vandals who've moved in to to do this."

Youds said the playground was "really important" to local families.

"In the surrounding area there's lots of people who live in apartments or accommodation with no gardens, and if you come here on a sunny day it's absolutely packed out, all the generations come with their family," she said.

She welcomed action being taken to upgrade the playground into a "nice posh park", adding that "when it's done we won't be worried that our granddaughter's going to trip over all the time".

Robertson-Collins urged anyone with information about who had ripped up the flooring in the park to come forward.

She said "I implore everyone to treat all our parks, all our green spaces, all our play equipment with respect".

She said the floor had been replaced since local residents complained the playground was "an embarrassment", and it was "extremely expensive".

The council has upgraded playgrounds across the city, in places like Chinatown and Everton Park, and would continue to refurbish all the city's play areas, which was "a massive programme with millions of pounds worth of work", she said.

Sefton Park playground will be closed for repairs until 10 July, but a full upgrade is scheduled for early 2027.

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