A make-or-break meeting is to be held over the future of a children's playground which was left covered with broken glass after an attack by vandals.

The playground behind the village hall, in School Road, Copford, has been closed since vandals left shards of broken glass on a slide and among the bark chippings laid down to provide a safe environment for children.

It was the latest in a spate of attacks which had seen a seat in the playground "systematically taken apart", wooden play equipment burnt and the edging of the play area damaged.

Copford with Easthorpe Parish Council had no choice but to lock the playground on the instructions of its insurance company.

At the time, parish councillor Brian Bowling branded the vandals' attack as "mindless" and an "outright attempt to harm and maim young children".

Now young and old have been invited to a public meeting to find out whether Copford wants a playground or not.

Parish clerk Lorraine Allen said: "The playground is important for the village. It is a minority spoiling it for all the rest. If the answer is to keep the playground the parish council cannot afford to keep paying out money to repair and clear it up."

Mr Bowling said the two options were either to close the playground permanently, removing all the play equipment, or to reopen it.

"This would cost money and the big question is whether or not the parish council considers it worth spending money on," he said.

Mr Bowling said he did not want to see the playground close because the parish council had put a lot of time and money into it. He hoped Copford residents would come up with some ideas and the problem could be resolved.

The meeting will be held on December 4, at 6.30pm, at Copford village hall.

By Lisa Cockrell

Reporter's e-mail: lisa_cockrell@thisisessex.co.uk

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