‘Power tool’ vandalism in Littlehampton park ‘could have cut a child’

Michelle Molloy took her children to Brookfield Park in Worthing Road for a fun afternoon out on Sunday, September 20.

She said: “I heard my stepdaughter say to another kid ‘don’t touch that, it will hurt you’ so I went over.”

The metal handle of a wooden standing seesaw had been cut in half, requiring a saw or power tool given the thickness. Upon seeing the exposed jagged metal, the Littlehampton town councillor ushered the children away and reported the damage to Sussex Police and Arun District Council the next day.

She said: “Frankly, it worries me because someone irresponsible has a power tool – I’m not saying it is a child, it could be an adult – and it worries me even more that they are happy to go into a public space and use it like this.”

Arun said the council’s play area maintenance team were sent out immediately after being told and removed the damaged handle to make the see-saw safe. A spokesman said: “The see-saw was due to be replaced in the near future, so the remainder will be removed ahead of its intended replacement.

“It goes without saying that this mindless action is disappointing and needlessly puts others at risk.”

The council’s community parks officer is working with colleagues in community safety about this antisocial behaviour, they said.

In her experience as a councillor, Michelle had not encountered this kind of vandalism before. She said: “You get things broken, graffitied on and written on, but not left dangerously; that could cut a child.”

Michelle was also concerned for the person who had used the tool. She said: “If a young person were to have an accident with it and cut themselves or a friend, it would all get out of hand.”

She urged residents to check their power tools to make sure none were missing. “If someone has done it on purpose, it is quite malicious,” she said. “It is bad enough if people are walking around with knives, let alone power tools.”

To the vandal, she said: “Just consider how dangerous such a small act could be to a young child.”

A Sussex Police spokesman urged witnesses to come forward.

They said: “Anyone with information can report online or call 101, quoting serial 934 of 21/09.”