A NEW slide has been put in a children's park seven months after vandals burnt a play pirate ship to the ground.

Arsonists set fire to the wooden ship, which was worth about £10,000, in October.

After months of waiting, a replacement piece of equipment has been put in its place at the site in Stour Road, Harwich.

Harwich councillor for the area. Geoff Smith, said: "Tendring Council has put a slide in there for the youngsters.

"I'm really pleased, especially for the community's point of view.

"It's a lovely little park but it needs some work.

"Myself and councillor Ivan Henderson met with Ian Taylor from Tendring Council on Friday and had a discussion about the equipment there.

"They are looking to put more equipment in there, hopefully going to have a roundabout in there and update the seesaw as well as a picnic bench and some maintenance to some of the rest of the equipment.

"Bits and pieces need a paint up.

"He also said they are going to improve the access to the park itself - you have to go through a gate and its stones and grass and not easy if you have a pushchair."

Michael Talbot, Tendring Council's cabinet member for environment, said he was delighted the slide had now been replaced.

“Children in the area were left sorely disappointed after this popular piece of play equipment was destroyed by vandals in an arson attack,” he said.

“That is why I am glad that we have now replaced the slide for the benefit of the whole community.

“This new equipment is more vandal-resistant than the previous item of play, and the council also has plans to add a new piece of play kit, refurbish some of the existing items, and improve the entrance path and other parts of the play area.”