PARENTS have been left fuming after a play area was fenced off in the middle of the summer holidays.

Children have had nowhere to play since the land, at the bottom of Whitmore Road, St John's, was blocked off to make way for building work a fortnight ago.

Melissa Childs, aged 33, of Whitmore Road, said she felt it was "extreme" for the fencing to be put up.

"The children vandalised the fence twice because they got so angry with it," she said.

The original fence has now been replaced with a 6ft aluminium fence, with aluminium mesh on top.

A scheme for 14 new affordable houses on the land was given planning permission in early 2001.

There is now 24-hour security patrolling the land, owned by the Bromford Housing Group.

"It's a bit extreme," said Miss Childs, a mother of two boys, aged two and 10. "There's got to be 50 children that play in the park during the day and over the weekends."

When houses are built on the park, a new play area will be built further away.

"My argument is that it's the summer holidays and there is no other play area round here," said Ray Jones, aged 60, who lives in Bransford Road, by the park.

"I can see a child getting killed by running across the road and going to the golf course near here."

Councillor David Candler criticised the timing of the work.

"To fence off a local playing field at the start of the school holidays in early August, without any sort of advanced warning, was simply asking for trouble," he said.

Coun Candler contacted the housing group about the problem. The group has now sent a letter to residents of Whitmore Road, stating it was unaware that residents were using the play area.

"As a condition of the city's planning approval our contractors, E G Carter Ltd, are forming an exciting new play area before the construction of the houses commences," said a spokeswoman for Bromford Housing Group.

"The existing play area has been secured by fencing to ensure health and safety of the local residents, particularly the children and, while we are bound by the terms of the contract and the approval, we will do everything possible to minimise the inconvenience and ensure the new play area is completed swiftly.

"We are sure that the new play area will be a welcome improvement."