VILLAGERS today claimed they are being given the run-around over their play area - after waiting FIVE YEARS for two new swings.

VILLAGERS today claimed they are being given the run-around over their play area - after waiting FIVE YEARS for two new swings.

The swings were taken away after getting broken in 2004 and despite plenty of promises, no new ones have appeared.

Fed up children at Trimley St Mary are so frustrated they have given up waiting.

Now the parish council is to make an official complaint about Suffolk Coastal and is prepared to take the authority to the Ombudsman and seek compensation.

Parish council chairman Bryan Frost said the situation was “totally unacceptable”.

The two swings in Faulkeners Way had been removed in 2004. In November 2005, after asking what had happened, the council was told by Suffolk Coastal they would be replaced “shortly”.

Still nothing happened, and after repeated requests for action over the next two years, an assurance was received that new ones would be in place by summer last year.

“That never happened and then in November we were told the swings would not be replaced at that stage because there was to be a reappraisal of the whole play site - though why that should delay the replacement of the swings was unclear,” said Mr Frost.

After further pressure, the message came back that the swings would be in place by Christmas, then March 31 this year.

“That's been and gone and we still have no indication of when any work will be carried out,” said Mr Frost.

“We have had complaints about the lack of swings and while we get exemplary service from Suffolk Coastal on many issues, on this one it has been awful - no-one should have to wait five years for two swings.

“Do they think we are a bunch of old codgers they can just fob off? It makes me absolutely infuriated.”

He said an official complaint would be made and compensation - which could be given to charity - sought for wasting the council's time.

A Suffolk Coastal spokesman said: “The tender has now been let and the company carrying out the work should be on site in the very near future, which will see some new equipment installed and some improvements to some of the existing ones.”

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