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Fresh concerns over Victoria Park play area




A couple of recent accidents have prompted concern over health and safety at the new children's play area

FRESH concerns have been raised over children's health and safety at the new play area in Newbury's Victoria Park following a couple of recent accidents.

This week, Rebecca McCrory wrote to the Newbury Weekly News to say that her three-year-old brother, Jack Collings, fell from the large slide platform to the one underneath back in September, resulting in him being rushed to doctors and subsequently to hospital for head and arm injuries.

In addition, she said she was aware of a similar incident involving one of her friend's brothers, who she said was rushed to hospital with a broken leg.

She said: “I am informing you as I know many carers for young children hate the new park and I would like Newbury to be aware of the trauma I and other families have been through.”

However, the deputy leader of the town council, David Allen (Lib Dem, Victoria), said the council had not received any reports of incidents at the unmanned play area.

He said: “If parents can contact us then we would certainly investigate.

“But until we know something has occurred, that is when we can look into it.”

The revamped play area has sparked some controversy since its opening earlier this year, with more than 1,200 people signing a petition calling for fencing to be installed around the new toddler play area and rival groups being set up on social networking website, Facebook.

The petition, which contained 1,267 signatures, was presented to Newbury Town Council's community services committee last month, although town councillors decided unanimously not to install a fence, following guidance from the town council services manager, Granville Taylor, and the head of play safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents Playsafety Ltd, David Yearley.

The council did, however, agree to monitor the situation for the next six months and Mr Allen said that a review was still being planned in five months time.



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