Cruel crooks steal van packed with play equipment that's delighted thousands of children all summer

Throughout the summer holidays, Milton Keynes Play Association (MKPA) workers have travelled to locations all around MK with their van packed full of dream play equipment worth around £10,000.

They would unload a bouncy castle, obstacle courses, construction toys and other games – and then invite children to play to their hearts’ content for free.

So far this summer more than 13,000 youngsters have enjoyed the sessions, many of them turning up time and time again. But this week, in the final week of the holidays, the smiles have turned to tears…

Late last night (Tuesday August 18) callous thieves forced their way into the locked compound where the play assocation van was parked at the back of its Kiln Farm base.

The vehicle had been packed to the gunnels with equipment for the next play session – but the crooks broke into it and drove the whole lot away.

“They’ve totally cleaned us out of play equipment. We have nothing left and we’ve had to cancel the sessions we planned for this week. We are truly heartbroken for the children and families we’ve let down.” said a spokesperson for the charity.

There is no money to replace the costly items and MKPA has been forced to cancel sessions planned at Westcroft Pavilion and Medbourne Pavilion for today (Wednesday August 19). Staff are frantically trying to organise other activites with cheaper equipment for all remaining sessions.

"How could anyone sink so low as to steal everything we had?” said the spokesperson. “It clearly belonged to us. The bouncy castle had Milton Keynes Play Association emblazoned all over it, for example.”

One glimmer of hope is that the equipment will prove too hot to handle and the thieve may find a conscience and return it quietly to MKPA’s Burners Lane premises.

Another is CCTV footage from neighbouring businesses that clearly shows the theft taking place at 10.30pm and could identify the cuplrits for police.

Meanwhile, the play association has thanked the public for the messages of support and sympathy it has received. Staff have set up a fundraising page here in a bid to replace the stolen equipment.

“As a children’s charity this has deeply affected us, especially during our busiest time of the year. Please know that we are working tirelessly to ensure as few sessions as possible are affected,” said the spokesperson.

Milton Keynes Play Association launched in 1971 to provide play opportunities for children. As the infrastructure of the new town of Milton Keynes was being developed it became clear that the new housing estates being developed had limited facilities for children’s play so a a group of determined parents from an estate who came together to organise play activities for their own children and others.

50 years on, MKPA has grown and evolved into a charity which continues to provide play to children in the area along with hire of play equipment, a scrap store, craft shop, training for teachers, carers and parents.

You can view the MKPA fundraising page here.