A play area in a south Essex town has been defaced within a month of it reopening after a £75,000 restoration project.
The playground in the Wick Country Park, in Wickford, was closed to the public last year after it was branded "dangerous", but was brought back to life in May after a campaign by Councillor George Jeffrey to fund its renovation.
Last week it was spotted with graffiti and drawings on the freshly fitted obstacles, including offensive words and drawings.
Mr Jeffrey, a Conservative councillor who is responsible for the environment and leisure on Basildon Council, said he was alerted to the issue and despite arranging for a team to come and clear the graffiti, he was glad to find it had all been cleared.
He said: "A local resident had come down and cleared it already, someone who does that sort of thing for work.
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"Why people would want to graffiti or vandalise a children's play area is beyond me, it is not acceptable," Mr Jeffrey added. "The council will be looking to hold the people that did this to account."
He said he had been to the park today and it was "packed", which he was happy to see after a long fight to restore the play area, which included a petition signed by more than 1,400 people to secure the funding.
Last year, the playground shut suddenly after “rotting wood” was deemed to be causing a potential risk to children.
Basildon Council set £75,000 aside to renew the well-used area, and new features and obstacles opened for the public to use on May 11.
The upgraded play area features a wide range of modern, inclusive and exciting equipment designed to cater for children of different ages and abilities.
New installations include an inclusive Roty roundabout and Bravo set, an exciting mountain net, an action-packed toddler unit, a Swing Together Tango set, a dynamic Titan swing and much more according to plans which were released earlier this year ahead of the relaunch.
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