Mum finds three-inch nails planted upwards on children's slide in park

17 August 2023 , 11:08

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The nails Alanna found (Image: Grimsby Telegraph / MEN Media)

A mum has spoken of her shock as she waited at the bottom of a children's slide for her young daughter and spotted three inch nails planted sticking upwards on the equipment.

Alanna Ashley was visiting the Ulceby Play Park in Grimsby on Tuesday with her two-year-old daughter, and spotted the sharp nails in the nick of time as her daughter was about to come down. Shortly afterwards, she discovered several more of them dotted throughout the park.

Alanna told Grimbsy Live said: "Normally I let her go down and play but on this occasion she told me she was scared and to catch her so I went to the bottom and saw the nail pointing upwards. It upset me because it's been put there to hurt somebody and the fact it could have been my two-year-old daughter, or any child, is awful. They come to the park to play and instead they're dodging nails.

"One of them was on the slide pointing upwards and the other ones were dotted round all over the park. They were mainly in the grass and under the equipment. If a child or a baby fell and skidded, the nails would have gone in them."

Alanna said the park has faced its fair share of antisocial behaviour in the past, with broken glass scattered throughout the area and food smeared "all over" the play equipment on previous occasions. She added: "Ulceby is home to a lot of children, so I'm going to take a guess and say that it was some older kids. There's a lot in this village.

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"There has been glass in the park, food smeared all over, the lot. It's not the first time and I can guarantee it won't be the last time that something like this happens. I honestly do not understand why anybody would do this. With the summer holidays on, a lot of the kids and toddlers are in that park regularly. I'm just glad I spotted that nail because any child could have landed or fallen on it."

North Lincolnshire Council leader Cllr Rob Waltham condemned the actions of those who left the nails out and praised Alanna. "It is a shame someone would be so irresponsible, or even worse, deliberately leave these things lying around in a play area and we'll support our partners at the parish council however we can.

"These places are there for the enjoyment of children and families, just as the many other fantastic play areas are across North Lincolnshire - there should not be hazards nor dangers - they are supposed to be safe spaces. There's one person who has been responsible in all of this, and I'd like to thank the mum who collected the nails up - while she should not have to, her action means the risks to others have been removed."

It is understood that Ulceby Parish Council maintains the play area, which had a makeover two years ago. None of the nails found came from the equipment itself.

Kelly-Ann Mills