A play park in Lurgan has been closed after a picnic table was set on fire in a weekend attack by vandals.
Firefighters were called to the scene on Windsor Avenue on Sunday evening (January 19) at around 8pm, using specialist equipment to enter the area and extinguish the fire.
A NIFRS spokesperson said one appliance attended the scene and the cause of the fire is believed to have been “deliberate ignition”.
The park was closed yesterday morning (Monday) and will remain closed until the appropriate repairs are carried out.
DUP councillor Peter Haire condemned the attack and said those responsible need to be “caught and brought to justice”.
He said: “It’s continuous anti-social behaviour now again and that’s it closed down a number of times.
“It’s going to affect all the children who use that park. It’s a great facility and its going to be out of use for some time.
“Over the last couple of months there has been a lot of anti-social behaviour in the park and we’re trying to address it.
“There was a wee cricket pavilion targeted as well and a catering van that was broken into on the same night.”
Councillor Haire says that a meeting was held to discuss the issue in recent months, and options are being explored, included potentially acquiring funding to erect CCTV cameras in the area.
He added: “You go in on a Sunday and it’s [the park] full of people and well used. These guys think it’s funny but they don’t see what it does.
“We need these people caught because it’s coming out of the taxpayer’s money to fix this.”
