PICNIC benches at the Woodroad Park have been destroyed by a group of vandals.

There were four wooden benches next to the playpark but a group of kids have wrecked two of them and used them as part of a bonfire.

East Ayrshire Council confirmed that the benches had been destroyed by the vandals and that they had cleared the area.

Cumnock resident Michael McPake contacted the Chronicle after he became concerned at the state of the park.

He said: “I was up the Woodroad, walking the dog and the vandalism is horrendous. There is a wooden seated area for people to have their picnic and they’ve wrecked it.

“They’ve had a bonfire and burnt some of the seats about 10-15ft away from the soft play, the fenced off area for the toddlers and young kids. Wrecking them is one thing but having a bonfire? It’s crazy. The amount of glass, there is always smashed bottles of Buckfast and empty packets of cigarettes.

“It’s right next to the soft play and what does that say to those kids? They see the vandalism and they think it’s alright for them to do it.”