A parent from Bicester has shared her concerns about the "terrible" state of a local play park. 

Ellie Coleman is the parent of three children aged 10, eight and five, and she is concerned that there is "very little left" in a local park for children to play on due to the climbing frame and slide being removed. 

The play park is located on Lucerne Avenue next to Bure Park Primary School. 

She told the Oxford Mail and Bicester Advertiser: "The main play park in Bure Park is in a terrible state, there's very little left.

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"It’s such a shame that the climbing frame and slide have been removed from the play park.

"It’s such a popular park with so many children and encouraging them to play outside really should be a priority.

"I really hope the money can be found for a replacement urgently."

Her eldest child, Ailith Coleman, said: "I just watch TV after school now instead of playing at the park."

Eadie Coleman, eight, added: "The climbing frame was the best equipment in that park and I am sad that it is gone."

Councillor Nicholas Mawer, leader of Bicester Town Council Conservatives, said he shares the concerns of Ms Coleman.

He said: "We are really disappointed in the progress that has been made on upgrades and replacement items for play parks.  

"Under the Conservative administration of Bicester Town Council there was a programme of review of play parks, and every year councillors went and visited all the parks that were flagged as needing work.  

Councillor Nicholas Mawer (Image: Cherwell District Council.)

"I believe that the spreadsheet that contains the schedule for all the parks still exists, but there has not been a democratic inspection of the parks or to my knowledge a democratic review of the schedule. 

"This means that councillors from other wards are unsighted as to what needs to be done elsewhere in the town.

"This year, an absolutely colossal sum has been allocated to a new play park in Garth Park that will be a genuine attraction to families. 

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"Unfortunately it has eaten all the budget for smaller refurbs."

He added: "I and my Conservative colleagues want money to be transferred from the council's ample reserves to pay for the replacement of equipment at the Lucerne Avenue Play Park.

"We also want the councillor inspections of parks to be re-instated.

"To be fair to the staff at the town council, some of the issues around repairs have been weather related, in that you need good weather to repair some of the soft wet pour surfaces.

"We have also seen criminal vandalism on some parks as well.

"However I do not think that the current administration have come to grips with the scale of the problem and this is letting down the parents and children of Bicester alike."

The Oxford Mail has contacted Bicester Town Council for comment.