Parts of a Royston play area have been destroyed in an act of ‘mindless vandalism’.

North Herts Distict Council has condemned the ‘thoughtless actions’ of those who ripped up part of the rubber ground surface at the Serby Avenue play area over the weekend.

The area has now been fenced off by the district council’s grounds team and will only reopen once the surface has been repaired.

Councillor Jane Gray, executive member for leisure at the district council, said: “There is no excuse for this kind of selfish behaviour.

“Such thoughtless actions have an effect on those who use the park as well as the tax payer who ultimately ends up paying”.

Earlier this year vandals destroyed a newly-planted feature in Priory Gardens by pulling up the herbaceous borders which had been planted just three days previously.

This led to some town councillors calling for CCTV equipment to be installed to deter people from causing criminal damage.

The police have been notified and anyone with information is asked to call the non-emergency number on 101.