A SHOWPIECE play area near Selby has been closed because of repeated vandalism by children as young as seven.

The parish council at Barlby "gave up the ghost" and padlocked the £20,000 park after its appeals to the youngsters fell on stony ground.

Councillors warned parents and children that it was in danger of closing and then announced a three-month reprieve, in the hope that the culprits would see sense.

But just a month into the "stand-off", at the play park on the Wainhomes estate, the problem got worse and the closed notices have now gone up.

Councillor Stephanie Duckett said that the closure warning was "like a red rag to a bull".

The vandals responded with more sustained attacks and the council had no choice but to pronounce it a "no go" area.

Coun Duckett said: "The play area was regularly covered with a carpet of broken glass and we were paying someone just to clean the place up.

"One four-year-old boy recently received hospital treatment after cutting his stomach on a broken green bottle hidden in the grass.

"It breaks my heart to close it, but we just couldn't take any more chances on children getting injured.

"Teenagers are going there drinking and then kids as young as seven and eight are getting the bottles out of the bins and smashing them against the equipment."

She added: "When we announced the closure reprieve, we were hoping for a response from parents.

"But the situation just went from bad to worse, with kids bringing in their own milk and pop bottles to smash."

Barlby Parish Council chairman David Hope said: "It's villagers' money that is financing the park while local kids are destroying it."

The council has also decided to bring in private security guards to curb anti-social behaviour.

Mayfair Security will patrol the village every night as part of a three-month trial costing more than £1,000.

Coun Duckett said: "Yobs are making other people's lives hell, and we don't intend to tolerate it any longer."

Updated: 17:04 Thursday, January 09, 2003