Family's fury as slide is removed

Twenty-six-year-old Sarah Shuker, of Spring Hill, whose five-year-old son Ben regularly uses the play area off Tallow Hill, said they had received no warning the slide there was to be taken away.

It therefore came as a shock to the mother when she heard workmen removing the metal structure on Friday. She said she feared it was the beginning of the end for the playground following rumours the council wants to convert it into a car park.

She said: "I'm absolutely gutted because it's the only play area that has a patch of grass in the city apart from Perry Wood in Ronkswood.

"My son uses it a lot as he's a keen footballer. It's really convenient for us as it's right across the road. It's really terrible and I can't believe they're doing this."

Miss Shuker said the nearest alternative play area would be one at Stanley Road but this was often over-crowded. Ben's 51-year-old grandmother Alison, who also lives on Spring Hill, used the playground herself as a child as well as her children Sarah and Mark, now 29.

The Bosch worker recalled how the area used to have a swing, roundabouts and a see-saw on the area also but that they were removed 24 years ago. She added: "I'm disgusted, absolutely disgusted - where have the children got to play in Worcester? The more areas they're tearing down and not replacing, the greater the temptation there will be for them to play somewhere they shouldn't be."

However the city council's parks and cemeteries manager Ian Yates defended its move, confirming the area would become part of the neighbouring car park but saying the play equipment has been moved along with other items to a new and improved area at the Midland Road Community Centre.

He added: "It's part of the wider play strategy which the council adopted last year and it's all about improving the facilities we have and making them more fun and interesting. The play area was in the middle of a car park and wasn't very safe."