COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

A 12-year-old boy has been arrested after an arson attack on a newly-opened play area in Coventry.



Children were playing on the new park in Prior Deram Walk, Canley, on Friday afternoon when the flames took hold of one of the new slides at 3.30pm.

Police quickly evacuated the area while firefighters put out the blaze which is believed to have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.

West Midlands Police revealed that officers arrested a 12-year-old boy from Canley this morning on suspicion of criminal damage and burglary.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Children's play area vandalised within a week of reopening



A new Coventry play area - torched a week after opening - has been targeted for a second time by vandals.

Play equipment at Prior Deram Park, in Canley, was set on fire on July 17.

A 12-year-old boy was charged over the arson attack after police secured CCTV footage from the area.

This time a climbing frame has been trashed and a big rope has been damaged. A football crossbar has also been left bent.

Police are currently looking at CCTV footage to identify the culprits.

Coun Marcus Lapsa, who represents Westwood Ward, said: “It is just heartbreaking.



“People fought hard to get a play area there for the residents and the people of Canley had waited a long time for a park to be proud of.

“To see it destroyed in this way is just awful.

“I feel so sorry for the young children and their families who enjoy spending time at the park but have now been been left with equipment which has been destroyed or unusable.

“It is just wanton vandalism carried out by idiots and will cost thousands of pounds to put right.

“I would just urge parents to have a word with their children about the importance of this play area and not to vandalise it in this way.”

Coun Lapsa said the issue would be discussed at a local forum meeting being held next Tuesday at the Excel Leisure Centre, in Mitchell Avenue, where both himself and Coun David Skinner, who represents the Westwood ward, would discuss the issue with police.

The park had been open for less than a week following a major revamp when vandals set fire to one of the new slides.

Police were forced to evacuate the busy park after the flames took hold as children played in the area.

The park was rebuilt as part of the council’s Canley regeneration project and was meant to complement the planned 200 new houses in the area being built by contractors Taylor Wimpey.

The bill for repairing the park could run to £18,000.

Elements of the park have been designed with the help of local schools including Charter Primary School and Westwood Academy.