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A Sunderland play area is closed after vandals ripped up safety surfacing just days into the six-week school summer holidays.

The padlocked gate to the play area at Hetton Lyons Country Park

The damage at Hetton Lyons Country Park was discovered on Friday morning and the play area will remain closed until it can be made safe.

The gate to the play area is currently padlocked. Pieces of safety surfacing have been strewn around and some has even been thrown over the fence.

Sunderland City Council Hetton ward member Coun Jim Blackburn condemned the damage: "I think it is absolutely disgraceful," he said.

"I don't know why anyone would want to spoil thing for young kids."

There had been plans to expand the play area and add new play equipment to make it more accessible for children with disabilities: "We were looking at making the play area a bit better and extending it a little bit but unfortunately, this is going to affect that," said Coun Blackburn.

Bits of the play surface have been dug up and thrown around

" I was at a meeting a week ago, talking about the Hetton play area and putting some accessible equipment in there.

"The park is not the only one affected - I know a paly area that is not in the council's control has been damaged as well.

"It is quite annoying and upsetting."

The news comes after a new play area at Thompson Park in Southwick was attacked with graffiti before it had even been officially unveiled.

Coun Claire Rowntree is Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and Cabinet Member for Clean, Green City - and herself a Hetton ward member.

She urged anyone with information about who was responsible for the damage to get in touch.: "Sunderland City Council's environmental services officers were made aware of damage to Hetton Lyons play park on Friday morning and have closed the park until repairs can be carried out," he said.

Pieces of torn-up safety surfacing have been thrown about

"Lots of families value our play parks, especially during the school holidays, so it is very disappointing that a small minority have ruined the equipment for everyone..

"Our teams work really hard to keep our award-winning parks looking their best all year round and these acts of mindless vandalism are a blight on our communities.

"We would like to ask any residents who witness anti-social behaviour and vandalism to report it via https://www.sunderland.gov.uk/report-asb."

Vandal attack forces closure of Hetton Lyons Country Park play area