Residents in Brampton have launched a petition after children have been left with nowhere to play.

Parents who live in the St Martin’s area are calling for their play equipment to be replaced.

It was removed last week after an inspection by Carlisle City Council last year found that the equipment, on land it owns, was not being maintained and had fallen into a disrepair.

Jessica Short, of Gelt Road, already has 30 signatures on a paper petition and was setting up an online petition this week.

She said parents are concerned for the safety of their children, as they now have nowhere close to home to play. Other parks in the town, she said, are not suitable for younger children and she hopes any new provision would have more for small children.

There are also fears the land could be used for more housing.

The mum-of-two told The Cumberland News : “No one was told about it to start with. We have not been told there is going to be a park put back there.

“There is a park at the other end, near the fire station, but it’s a long trek to go.”

She continued: “Council tax has gone up four per cent this year. We’re not gaining anything out of it really.

“Brampton is quite a rural area. It costs a lot to take the kids out for the day so it’s handy just to walk down the road.”

Over time the frames of the equipment had rusted and wooden sections were beginning to rot. A section of the fence was also missing.

Immediate safety issues were dealt with following the city council’s review but the authority said the equipment needed to be removed before more of it became unsafe. It said it would manage and maintain the site as an informal green space.

Despite the neglected state of the equipment, Miss Short said it was well used.

“It wasn’t great and it wasn’t perfect but it was safe enough for the kids to play on.”

The play equipment was installed by St Martin’s Tenants Management Organisation (Smart) but there was uncertainty as to the responsibility for maintenance after the tenants’ company Smart Ltd closed last April.

“No one’s actually claimed the park, they’ve shuffled it all around and said ‘it’s not our responsibility’,” said Miss Short.

In 1999 the parish council agreed it would help “where possible” with the maintenance of the equipment purchased by Smart.

It undertook any ongoing repairs.

An annual Rospa safety inspection, organised by the parish council, was also carried out.

In 2013 the authority advised Smart on available funding for play areas. At this point, it said, Smart acknowledged the equipment belonged to it and it was its responsibility to repair and maintain it.

Smart was taken over by social housing providers The Riverside Group in 2014/15 and any agreement regarding the play area is unknown.

In a statement Brampton parish council said: “In December 2016, Brampton parish council was contacted by Luke Leathers confirming that, after reviewing its sites, Carlisle City Council was aware the play equipment wasn’t being maintained and had fallen into disrepair and if the parish council or Riverside did not take responsibility the equipment would be removed.

“Unfortunately, the parish council was in no financial position to immediately take over the area and replace the equipment and, unlike the play area at Irthing Park, there was no offer of funding from the city council or Riverside for future maintenance.

“It was hoped either a community group could be set up from St Martin’s that would manage and maintain the play area similar to the one recently installed at Newtown – the parish council could help with funding bodies and suppliers – or when funding became available to the parish council, it would then consider replacement of the play area at St Martin’s.”

Sarah Paton, Riverside’s neighbourhood services director, said: “We understand the playground was provided by the council and Smart.

“Riverside has never had any responsibility for this play equipment.”

A spokeswoman for Carlisle City Council said: “We have consulted both the parish council and Riverside Housing Association, who have taken on Smart’s role, and neither organisation wants to take on the responsibility for the play equipment.

“The parish council, which recently agreed to take on the maintenance of all the play areas in Brampton, have confirmed they do not want to add this equipment to their portfolio.

“The play equipment is in such a state of disrepair that it has been removed.”