A CREWE play area has reopened after it was hit by vandals.

The playground on McLaren Street Park needed substantial repairs after the safety surfacing around its play equipment was badly damaged.

Cheshire East Council play areas, which were shut off during the first lockdown, have remained open for leisure users.

But the council's leisure company Ansa padlocked up the play area off Broad Street for several weeks while repair materials were ordered and work was completed ahead of schedule. It had been due to reopen next week.

A spokesperson for Cheshire East Council said: "We closed the site as there was substantial vandalism damage to the safety surfacing, which we needed to repair.

"Replacement parts for damaged equipment were ordered."

The vandalism emerged after Crewe Police's Neighbourhood Team issued a warning of potential anti-social behaviour taking place at the park in the evenings last month.

They said large groups of young people were gathering, which meant they would be be monitoring the area, in particular to check that Covid-19 guidelines are being followed.