Parents “concerned for the wellbeing of our children” have begged council officials to reopen village play parks.

Nearly 100 parents signed a letter to Wooburn and Bourne End Parish Council saying they were disappointed that playgrounds in the area had been shut because of Covid-19.

Parks managed by the parish council have been closed since January 6 in a bid to try and reduce the spread of coronavirus, but not everyone has supported the decision.

Amanda Carthy set up a petition to get the parks reopened and in a letter to the council, said: “We believe that the benefits of playgrounds to our local children outweigh the risks of transmission.

Parks in Wooburn and Bourne End have been shut for safety reasons

Parks in Wooburn and Bourne End have been shut for safety reasons

“Playgrounds are the one area, available to all members of the community, where children naturally enjoy exercising.”

ALSO READ: Anti-Covid sticker appears near Stoke Mandeville Hospital

Parent John Sills spoke to parish councillors at their last full council meeting on January 26, urging them to reconsider.

He acknowledged the council was in a “difficult situation” but said: “The government says it is fine to open play parks if it can be done in a safe way. I’m really keen to know how we can do it in a way that balances the safety of the public and the safety of your ground staff and children who have been really suffering through lockdown.

“Most other parishes have opened their play parks. With parents working from home and children learning at home, having a park open for a few hours a day would do a world of good.”

Mr Sills suggested different parks could be opened on different days in a bid to find a balance to suit everyone.

Cllr Sue Wagner said it was just not possible for their three ground staff to keep five play areas adequately cleaned and monitored to make sure social distancing is in place, especially among young children.

ALSO READ: The three areas where Covid-19 cases are still rising in High Wycombe and nearby areas

She said: “They have had some abusive from members of the public when they have been trying to spray down the equipment, so they were getting up really, really early in the morning to do it when no one was about.

“We don’t have the resources to do it. It puts our ground staff in an unacceptable position. We have heard today we have had 100,000 deaths from Covid – that is really shocking.”

Cllr Katie Lamb added: “It would be lovely to have them open and if we could do it safely, then we would.

“It’s not just the cleaning, there’s still the social distancing that’s got to be managed and children are terrible at that through no fault of their own.

Parks in Wooburn and Bourne End have been shut for safety reasons

“Even if we only opened one day a week, we would still struggle to clean the equipment because so many people would be there.

ALSO READ: Fresh calls to re-open tip after mounds of rubbish dumped next door

“It’s not a decision we have taken lightly.”

Cllr Nigel Dibbo said he was a “huge fan” of the parks, but added: “My children are continuing to enjoy The Green and going into the woods – there is plenty to enjoy in the area.”

Cllr Wagner said it was a decision that would be looked at week to week to see if parks can be reopened when it is safe to do so.