Put the swing back into our park

Brothers Malachi Pearson (l) and Luca Pearson miffed after kids have set fire to swings on new playground off Wellyhole St Greenacres.

IT don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing . . . according to two disappointed brothers.

Six-year-old Malachi and Luca Pearson (4) were so fed up when the vandalised swing in Wellyhole Street playground, Greenacres, was removed but not replaced, they decided to go straight to the top.

With the help of their grandad Tom Simister they emailed a letter to Oldham Council’s parks and countryside chief Glenn Dale asking him when there was going to be a new one.

“We have been waiting for at least six months for our swing to be put back,” they wrote. “We love this swing and so does our grandad — we can tell because when he pushes us both together he always goes a funny colour.”

Mr Dale wrote back saying: “Unfortunately we have had a problem at the site with people setting fire to the two seats. This has happened over a two-month period with each replacement seat costing £600.

“We wanted to be sure there was an increase in use before we decided to replace them. Now spring is here we are aiming to install them.”
A full version of this story appears in the printed and eChron editions.