Hucknall mum and son scared off park by kids with metal bars

A Hucknall mum has spoken of her shock and anger after she says and her son were frightened off a play park by kids brandishing metal bars.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The woman, who asked not be named so as to protect her child, says she took her son to the park at Hucknall Lesiure Centre but almost immediately was confronted by the group of children – some as young as primary school age.

She said: "I thought it would be nice for my son to play on the park until they came on to it, swearing, shouting and running around with metal poles, smacking them around, getting closer and closer to myself and my son.

“Wherever we went, they got closer.

The woman says the incident happened at the play park at Hucknall Leisure CentreThe woman says the incident happened at the play park at Hucknall Leisure Centre
The woman says the incident happened at the play park at Hucknall Leisure Centre

"My son is nervous and due to there being around six of them with poles, and one of me with a child, I didn't want to say anything, so we left.

The woman said the incident was symptomatic, in her her eyes, of how Hucknall has become in the last year since the lockdowns began.

She continued: "Hucknall used to be a quite,happy safe place but it has turned into horror since the first lockdown and I genuinely blame the fact we have all been locked away and kept from what we all know as normality – it's sent people crazy.

"Within one month my car has been vandalised, I'm terrified to take my children out and now the park is a big no go.

"There is so much violence and out of control children and I’m forever on the defensive at the moment.

Nottinghamshire Police and Ashfield District Council have both been approached for comment.