Dramatic moment Cardiff play area is torched by yobs leaving residents 'fuming'

Residents in a Cardiff suburb are "fuming" after a children's play area was torched by vandals. Firefighters were dispatched to the blaze in the open area off Church Road in Caerau at around 10.40pm on Monday, July 1.

Pictures shared on social media show huge flames engulfing the climbing frames as thick smoke billows into the sky just yards from people's homes. It is the latest incident in a series of similar arsons according to one local resident who wished to remain anonymous.

The 55-year-old claims residents have to put up with deliberate fires "on a regular basis" in the green space off the road, which includes the playground, surrounding field and woods, close to the Iron Age Caerau Hillfort and the medieval St Mary's Church. "It's a nightmare – [it's happened] four times in the last six days," she said. "Kids [have been] setting fires in the park and in the woods." For the latest Cardiff news sign up to our newsletter here.

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Further images show the moment the same play area was torched by vandals almost exactly a year ago. The residents' frustration is compounded by the fact the playground was installed as part of the development of facilities at Caerau Hillfort by the Caerau And Ely Rediscovering (CAER) Heritage Project, which received funding from local organisations.

"[It's] so annoying as the smaller children now have no park," said the resident. "It's awful as [the community] all worked so hard to get the park. I’ve only been here a year but other residents are fuming."

Another image shows a fire crew attending a blaze in the field surrounding the play area. "[That happened] about two months ago," the resident added. "There’s loads of rubbish dumped there now – surprisingly it hasn’t been set alight yet." Get the best user experience with WalesOnline’s Premium app on Apple or Android.

A spokesman for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: "SWFRS received a call at approximately 10.39pm on July 1 reporting a fire in an open area near Church Road, Caerau, Cardiff. A crew and appliance from Ely Station attended and extinguished the fire using a hose-reel jet. The stop message was given at 10.50pm."