CHILDREN'S play equipment is due to be removed from a park in Brampton as it has fallen into a state of disrepair.

The attractions at St Martin's park will be taken out by Carlisle City Council before it becomes unsafe.

After reviewing sites, the city council found that the equipment at St Martin's, on land owned by the authority itself, wasn't being maintained and had fallen into disrepair.

A spokesman said: "We have contacted Brampton Parish Council to resolve the matter of the St Martin’s Field play equipment.

"The play equipment, installed by St Martin’s Tenants Management Organisation (SMART) and the parish council, is now in such a state of disrepair that we are proposing to remove the fixed play equipment from the city council land.

"Once removed, we will manage and maintain the site as informal green space."

There is uncertainty as to who the responsibility for maintenance lies with after the tenants' maintenance company SMART Ltd closed in April.

The city council has also consulted with Riverside Housing Association, which funded SMART and owns the houses in that area, but it does not have responsibility for the play equipment.

Over time the frames of the equipment have rusted and wooden sections are beginning to rot.

A section of the fence is also missing.

Luke Leather, grounds maintenance and green spaces manager, said: "We have already dealt with any immediate safety issues and are proposing to remove the equipment before more of it becomes unsafe."

Hannah French, of St Martin's Close, thinks the equipment isn't great but she doesn't like her children - aged five and seven - to play there anyway because of dog mess in the park.

"It's just not the most up to date equipment. It's been there for a long time," she said.

"Without a closer inspection I couldn't say it was unsafe and my kids do go and play on it.

"It could do with money spent on it like everything around here.

"They can't afford bins, nevermind new swings," said Miss French, 32, who hopes to develop a community organisation to address local issues such as anti-social behaviour, litter and facilities.

"I think it's a shame because other areas in Brampton have got really good park facilities.

"It seems a shame that our children round here don't have the same facilities as other children in the town and you couldn't let them walk to one of the other parks."

The matter was discussed by community leaders in Brampton at their latest meeting.

John Harding, the parish council's vice chairman, said the issue required "immediate attention."

Councillor Malcolm Craik thinks it was installed about 15 years ago.

"I don't know what we could do to repair it but some of it is beyond repair," he said.

"We need to do something for that side of the town because it just doesn't get anything."

He was reminded by the clerk, Allison Riddell, that the land there doesn't belong to the parish council, whereas King George V and Murray Park do.

This year the parish council received grant funding of £20,000 to installed modern, outdoor fitness equipment at two other parks it is responsible for in the town.

But she agreed. "That equipment needs to go," she said.

Mike Mitchelson, the city councillor for Brampton, told councillors that unless they were prepared to take over responsibility of the play area they need to let his authority remove it before looking at ways to improve that area of the town.