A FIRE which destroyed part of a children's play area in Droitwich is being treated as suspicious by police.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue service was called to the play area at the Spa Lido Park on Worcester Road at 10.10pm last night.

They extinguished the fire that had consumed the climbing frame and slide, leaving it almost completely destroyed.

Police are now treating the incident as suspicious and would like to speak to several teenage boys who were seen near the scene a short time before the fire began.

Local Chief Inspector Adam Thomas said: “This was a disgraceful and mindless criminal act of vandalism that we very much want to bring the offender to justice for.

"The people of Droitwich deserve to have pleasant and well equipped public spaces to enjoy and the person responsible for this damage has shown total disregard for their community.

“I can assure the people of Droitwich that officers and staff, patrol and Safer Neighbourhoods are jointly following a number of leads in this case and will do all they can to catch the culprit.

“Furthermore, additional covert and overt assets will be deployed to prevent and detect any further offences in the area.”

Police are asking anyone with any further information to contact police on the non-emergency 101 number quoting incident ref 791s of 2nd July.