Green campaigners have called for a children's play area to be dismantled to save a future nature reserve from being destroyed by boozy youths.
Angry - Graham Skinner wants these swings moved Picture: DAVE HENDERSON
Members of the Castle Point Wildlife Action Group want the swings in Woodside Park, near North Benfleet Hall Woods, to be taken down claiming they are attracting youths who congregate there in the evenings.
Graham Skinner, a volunteer with the wildlife group, told Tarpots area forum last night that youths had now taken to going into the woodland at night and disturbing the work theyare doing.
He said: "We would like the swings - only two of which are in a suitable condition to use - to be taken down and set up again further away from the woodland.
"It is only because the swings are situated so close to the woodland that these youths have started to go in there causing damage."
Broken booze bottles and rubbish are the main complaints from environmentalists who are aiming to clear up the woodland so it can be transformed into a nature reserve, with a public path going through it.
Nigel Thomas, Castle Point's director of technical services, said both matters would need to be referred to the council's highways and leisure department.
Published Friday, June 13, 2003
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