VANDALS who used rope to wrench out a piece of play equipment at a Needham Market park have caused nearly £1,000 worth of damage.The town council has been lumbered with a bill of £939 to cover the cost of repairs to the play area at Crowley Park, in Barretts Lane.

VANDALS who used rope to wrench out a piece of play equipment at a Needham Market park have caused nearly £1,000 worth of damage.

The town council has been lumbered with a bill of £939 to cover the cost of repairs to the play area at Crowley Park, in Barretts Lane.

Council clerk Josephine Lea said: "We're paying for vandalism and it doesn't matter whether you're elderly and never go on the swings, you still have to pay for it from your council tax. It's really awful that they can't leave things alone.

"Every year we have a lot of damage and we're constantly on to our contractor to repair it. I would much rather spend money on something positive to move things forward."

It is thought the hooligans tied rope to part of the equipment and attached it spinning roundabout to yank it from the ground.

This theory has been confirmed by the contractor hired to repair the damage.

Pc Paul Elding, community police officer for Needham Market, said the incident is being investigated.

"We've got a problem in as much as there are a lot of kids who go up to the park who know what's going but they don't grass up their mates, he said.

"That's the culture we live and it makes things difficult."

It is believed the damage was done on Saturday, June 7, although it was not reported until the following day.

Mrs Lea added the council hoped to recoup the cost of the damage through an insurance claim, although it is not certain whether the claim will be successful.

She also promised the damage would be repaired as quickly as possible.

"We've always had a policy that we fix things as soon as possible and it will be no different this time," she said.

Anyone with any information about the crime is asked to contact Pc Elding on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.