VANDALS caused nearly £1,000 worth of damage to a children’s playground less than two days after it was refurbished.

A new swing was installed at a cost of around £8,000 on Friday, but by Sunday morning thugs had hacked through the 10in thick rope seat.

Mother-of-four Elizabeth Canavan, of Merlin Road, Wanstead, regularly takes her children to the playground on Christchurch Green, Wanstead High Street.

She said: “It's such a shame that they've done this as it's a really nice play area, so many children enjoy it down there.”

The damage is believed to have been carried out late on Saturday evening. The swing had only been installed on Friday.

Mother-of-two Wendy Bolton, 34, of Camden Road, said: “I spoke to another mum who was over there on Friday and she told me there were children queuing up to use it, so it was obviously really popular.

“There were some new benches put in a few months ago and I thought they might get damaged, but they seem to have been left alone.

“Why anyone would do this is beyond me.”

Snaresbrook ward councillor Sue Nolan said she feared the council’s financial situation meant it may not be able to afford to replace the swing.

The authority is already under huge financial strain, having to save £25 million over the next three years.

Cllr Nolan said: “It is just an act of wanton vandalism. There is CCTV on the High Street so hopefully they will have been caught on camera.

“These sorts of facilities are so important for children in the borough. It's awful that anybody would do this.”