A PLAYGROUND which was threatened with closure due to a rise in vandalism and violence is set to stay open, a councillor has said.

Children and teenagers are being given ‘one last chance’ to improve their behaviour in Olive Lane park in Darwen.

After a 14-year-old and 15-year-old boy were attacked with a hockey stick in the park in January, Cllr Jane Oates, assistant executive member for environment on Blackburn with Darwen Council, said she may have to shut it.

But after a period of monitoring the park and working with police and other councillors, Cllr Oates has decided it should remain open.

She said: “I am still quite worried about it but I hope I’ve made the right decision.

"I was so concerned after the attack on those two young boys.

“But I am giving young people one last chance to make the most of it.

“Other councillors and the police told me the issue would just move elsewhere if we closed it and that stuck in my mind.

"They’re always going to congregate somewhere.

“A lot of residents did want it to stay open so I really thought we’ve got to give it a try for the children more than anyone really.”

The council was set to remove a metal shelter where youths were congregating to drink alcohol but this has been put on hold while the situation continues to be monitored.

The neighbourhood policing team is now in discussions with the council about finding some funding for a CCTV camera which it is hoped will go on the side of Darwen Valley Community Centre to survey the park.

A camera has previously been put up but with hours it was vandalised.

That caused the council to disregard putting up another because of concerns of the same thing happening again.

But PC Scott Boast, of Darwen neighbourhood police, said a camera would be helpful.

He said: “The camera was only put about 8ft high last time so that was a target for kids really.

“So we are just in talks with the council about it at the moment.

“A lot of equipment has been damaged and it’s cost the council thousands.

“I think a camera will be helpful so we can work to find out who is doing this.”