RESIDENTS have got together a petition to see a fence reinstated at a children's play area.

Redbridge Council is being urged to put a fence in around the children's play area at Ray Park in Woodford Green.

Margaret Smith who lives in Glastonbury Avenue said outdoor gym equipment was installed for adults at the start of the year and at that time the fence was taken away.

She said the fencing was not put back and it has led to fears over safety and dogs leaving their mess in the play area.

Mrs Smith, who is in her 70s, said Joan Murphy, who lives in Snakes Lane East, has organised a petition, with residents calling for the fence to return.

Mrs Smith said: "The adult gym took about 20 per cent of the children's play area, why they would put it inside a children's play area I can't imagine.

"We've been told that we can't have the fencing as it was a criteria of the gym that there was no fencing. Surely then the gym should not have been put there."

Mrs Smith said she often takes her four-year-old grandson William Woods to the park but she is now taking him to parks elsewhere in the borough - all of which have a perimeter fence, she said.

Mrs Smith said: "It's ridiculous as the gate is still there but there is no fence.

"When dogs go in there they wee over everything and it's not nice.

"There is also the thing that if you are with small children, they move so quickly and if you just turn your back they're gone."

Mrs Murphy, a grandmother of three, said she collected about 60 signatures at the start of the year, all calling for a fence.

She said: "There is nothing to protect the children. I would have got more signatures but was out in the snow with the petition so couldn't speak to as many mums as I would have liked."

Mrs Smith has raised the matter twice with the council but she feels she is not getting anywhere.

At a meeting of the council's Area Two committee on Tuesday, July 20, Paul Canal, councillor for Bridge Ward, said there were two schools of thought.

He said: "There is a concern about dogs and keeping children in but also a school of thought about making parks more accessiible and breaking down barriers."

Robin Turbefield, Conservative councillor for Bridge Ward, said: "We are looking into the comments that have been made and will try to carry out a park visit to get more of a feel for what regular users want.

"A lot of money has been spent over there so we want to make sure the area is for the benefit of every user as well as making sure it is open to everyone."