CRUEL vandals are spoiling the summer for children after deliberately damaging a £175,000 Greenock playpark.

The mindless wrecking spree happened at the popular park in Burns Square in Larkfield on Sunday night.

A large part of the council park's soft surface has been ripped up and an area of the ground has been burned.

Local community campaigner John Houston described the vandals as 'pathetic'.

The 40-year-old said: "I know the hard work that went in to get the park, especially from Paul Travers, the former chairman of Larkfield Braeside and Branchton Community Council.

"He put a lot of energy into getting the funding for this.

"Whoever has done this has not given too much consideration to the young children who use the park, who are predominantly under the age of 10.

"It's a popular park, every day I've passed it recently there's been families out enjoying it.

"It's such a shame to see this happen to it."

The playpark opened in 2013 after a lengthy campaign by the community council paid off.

John added: "It's a fantastic park.

"Larkfield doesn't get an awful lot so something like this is a major investment.

"The vandalism is pretty pathetic.

"I believe older teenagers are responsible for this."

John says he has reported the incident to the community wardens.