A COUNCIL has agreed to cut back bushes in a park play area to protect children from spying perverts – although the work must wait until winter to protect the local wildlife.
The bushes blocking views across the two playgrounds in Riverside Park, Burnham, will be removed following parents' concerns over a suspicious man taking pictures of their young children.
But although Maldon District Council has welcomed the suggestion to ensure kids' safety, the work will be delayed until winter to ensure nesting birds are not disturbed.
"My friends and I use the park quite regularly after school and during holidays and we have always thought it would be beneficial for the bushes between the two play areas to be cut down," said parent Michelle Richardson.
"Then on July 3 quite a few of us visited the park after school and after an hour a few of the children asked to go to the other side, which we allowed them to do as a group.
"After ten minutes my daughter and her friends came running back saying that there was a man in the play area taking photos of them."
When Michelle and a friend confronted the unknown male, who was carrying a black holdall, he refused to show them the photos he had taken on his mobile phone and exited the park quickly.
The police and park ranger were then informed and carried out a search of the surrounding area.
A police spokesman said: "Police were called shortly after 4.30pm on July 3 following reports that a man had been seen taking pictures of children in a play area off Millfields, in Burnham on Crouch.
"Officers attended and carried out an area search. They spoke to a woman who had reported the man and offered advice and reassurance."
Following the incident Michelle, with the support of other parents, began a petition asking that the greenery shielding views of both sides of the park be removed to improve the safety of those using the site at Millfields.
Within a couple of days their suggestion had gained the support of council officers who have agreed to cut back and remove the offending shrubbery.
A spokesperson for the Council said; "We are happy to implement the suggestion from a local resident to remove some of the bushes and cut back the area around the play site.
"We can confirm that this work will be undertaken in the winter time once the bird nesting season has ended."
It is believed the area is home to ducklings, moorhens, water voles, lizards, foxes, frogs, and wildflowers which did lead to a heated debate on a social networking site over the suggestion that any of the park bushes be removed.
But for Michelle, a mother of two, the safety of her children is paramount, and the incident last week has caused her to permanently reconsider the independence she gives her children to play in the area.
"We should be able to go to our local park with an enclosed play area where we as parents can be with them and feel safe to let our children play in equipment without worrying about people like that," she added.
"I feel safer knowing that the bushes will be cut down and kept down, and happier to go to the Burnham Park again.
"However because of this incident I will never be letting my children go the other side of the park without me."
