Preschool staff in Wallingford have demanded action to stop teenagers hurling verbal abuse and litter into their toddlers' play area.

Rainbow Preschool has experienced a number of problems with vandalism and litter in its 18 years at Bullcroft Recreation Rooms in Bullcroft Park.

However, the situation has deteriorated since Bullcroft's £70,000 playground opened at the end of May.

Rainbow chairman Becky Lewis-Miller said the playground's multi-coloured climbing tower is being used by foul-mouthed older children to throw dangerous debris over the fence into the preschool grounds.

In a letter of complaint to the town council - which paid half the cost of the new playground - she said: "Since the tower was erected, the litter of cans, broken glass and other debris has considerably worsened.

"Every day, the park wardens have to check our garden and remove dangerous debris. Our staff also check every day before the children come out to play that the garden is safe.

"We are gravely concerned about the risk to our children of being exposed to needles or syringes that are not easily seen, and may be thrown into the garden from the tower."

Parks foreman Brian Gilbey confirmed he had found discarded syringes in the Bullcroft on three occasions in the last year.

He said liquor bottles, kebab wrappers, and chip papers were often littered around the playground.

Councillors have now agreed to move the tower away from Rainbow's premises - at a cost of £1,300. The work was schedlued to start this week.

Play leader Angela Phillips said: "We're grateful they have agreed to move it.

"It certainly won't improve the behaviour of the older children around the park, but it will remove the problem for the preschool."