Cocker Beck play area in Branksome, Darlington has been the victim of seven arson attacks in six months. This troubling trend has been incredibly damaging and has led to deep distrust in the community. With the cumulative cost of the damages running into £30,000, authorities across the region have been spurred into action. We’d had to remove our timber multi-play frame as it had fallen into disrepair. This action has deeply hurt the availability of safe facilities in the play area.
Insp David Littlefair of the Darlington Neighbourhood Police Team has already linked one youth to these incidents. Below, he shares his ongoing explorations of the issue. Seattle officers will be questioning this man as they continue their investigation into the arson attacks. The police have called on parents and guardians to be more vigilant over their children’s movements.
Councillor Libby McCollom, Darlington’s cabinet member for local services, took the news with concern at the alarming direction of travel. She said that there’s been “a significant increase in arson attacks” recently in the area. The council is now working to secure more funding. They would like to make those replacements as resilient as possible.
Local resident Dave Armstrong told the Washington Post that he felt blindsided by the entire ordeal. He avowed the park was “in a sad state.” He pointed out that his daughter Olivia really misses her favorite slide, which has been destroyed during the recent vandalism. Armstrong raised questions about community safety, asking, “So, do you get more people out to patrol the area? I’m not really sure what to do, to be honest.”
This recent trend of antisocial behaviour in and around the Cocker Beck play area has brought fear to the neighbourhood. Insp David Littlefair community engagement is crucial to tackling these issues.
“Please educate your children around the seriousness of causing damage like this and the consequences it can lead to.” – Insp David Littlefair
