AN ABERSYCHAN park will be closed for a number of weeks after vandals damaged the play equipment - to the despair of councillors.

Known as Glansychan Park, the play area was opened in May 2011 to offer a range of play activities for children aged between five and 15.

But ward councillors say it could be closed for around two months after vandals set fire to a piece of equipment and ripped a bin from its foundation.

Cllr Gwyneira Clark said: “It is a lovely park and its sad that someone would want to do this.”

Following a site meeting, Cllr Clark and fellow ward councillors Giles Davies and Wayne Tomlinson, along with the the Friends of Glansychan Park, were told that there was no option to close the park until the equipment is replaced.

A council spokesman said: “Some of the damage to the play equipment was so severe that we have had to order new parts from the manufacturer. These will have to be made specially and this could take some time.

“Once we have the parts we will aim to have the equipment repaired, and the park reopened, as soon as possible.”

A celebration was held when the park opened and it also marked the launch of the Friends of Glansychan Park group.

The £90,000 play area and general refurbishment work to the park were funded by the Welsh Assembly Government’s Heads of the Valleys programme with the aim of revitalising the park and bringing it back into the heart of the community.

Since the friends group have held a series of community events in the park as well as environmental projects such as tree and bulb planting.

Speaking at the time, cllr Clark said: “We hope that, with the support of the newly formed friends group, we can continue to ensure the area is something the community can be proud of.”