Vandals used knives and sharp implements to rip up the soft safety surface at the £180,000 Boglestone playpark in Port Glasgow, which opened three years ago.

Now the children’s play area section has been shut while officials assess the damage, which was discovered yesterday morning.

The special surface has been damaged before, but this time it has been broken up and scattered all over the park.

Officials say the safety of the park has been compromised, and admit repairs will cost ‘a significant sum’.

Council leader and ward councillor Stephen McCabe today estimated the bill would be around £25,000 if the entire surface has to be replaced.

He said: “When something similar happened at another playpark, that was the cost of repairing the damage.

“At the very least, it will be about £5,000 out of a tight council budget which we should be spending on improving facilities rather than having to repair them because of shocking vandalism.

“We are investing a great deal of money in play facilities, so this is depressing and demoralising.” Councillor McCabe said the playpark’s rope swing and kickabout are still open, but the area for young children has had to be shut down.

He said: “This is the worst vandalism we’ve seen at this playpark.

“It may just have been too much of a temptation for some of the people who hang about at the kickabout area.

“What is also worrying is that a knife or other sharp implement was used. It’s important that anyone with information contacts the police or community wardens.” His concerns were shared by fellow ward councillor David Wilson, who is also the area’s depute provost.

Councillor Wilson said: “This is bad enough at any time of year, but particularly so during the school holidays when parents want to take their children to this popular park.

“These vandals should be dragged through the courts.” He added: “I’m absolutely appalled.

“I hope the culprits can be identified through CCTV or that the public will come forward with information that finds those responsible.” This act of vandalism follows the torching in May of Port Glasgow’s £67,000 Moray Road playpark off Barrs Brae only days after it opened.

A 12-year-old boy has been reported to the Children’s Panel for allegedly causing thousands of pounds worth of damage by setting fire to a climbing wall and cave, which were reduced to a blackened, charred mess.