Frustrated grandad takes hammer to playground after repeated safety complaints

Richard Youle, Local Democracy Reporter

A frustrated granddad took a hammer to a children’s playground after being worried about nails sticking out from the perimeter fence.

Nigel Drean said he first reported missing fence slats and protruding nails at Johnstown Park to Carmarthen Town Council about a year ago.

Mr Drean said he’d repeatedly reported the issue with no response, so he ended up taking a hammer there himself. He was most worried about four nails sticking out horizontally where one particular slat was missing.

“I tried pulling them out but couldn’t so I flattened them instead,” said the 66-year-old of Pontyberem.

Carmarthen Town Council said it would inspect the park and replacing the perimeter fence was one its priorities.

Mr Drean, who has grandchildren at Johnstown Primary School and Queen Elizabeth High School, Carmarthen, said town council staff he’d spoken to have always been polite and responsive but the nail issue hasn’t been resolved.

He said the last time he phone the town council about a month ago he was advised the perimeter fence was due to be replaced in a couple of months’ time. “I raised the serious concern that in the meantime some poor child or adult may rip their hand or leg open on the nails,” he said.

Mr Drean said there were other nails which he felt needed removing or flattening. “I’m tempted to do it but I would rather they (the town council) did,” he said.

Mr Drean said he’s reported other health and safety issues to the town council from time to time in good faith. “I’m not out to cause trouble. I want to make things safe,” he said.

The town council said it would carry out another inspection of the park and that its finance committee had approved a £12,835 quote to replace the perimeter fencing the evening before it was contacted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Minutes from the meeting said the expectation was that the work would start as soon as practicable. The town council said it was a priority project for 2026-27.