Villagers in Finchampstead have been surprised in recent days to see the play equipment in Finchampstead Memorial Park vanish into thin air.
Villagers in Finchampstead have been left surprised after play equipment in Finchampstead Memorial Park was removed and crushed rather than being offered for locals to salvage.
One prominent member of the community said she was left 'in tears' after a popular climbing frame shaped like a train and a space‑aged conical roundabout were taken away.
Some of the kit had been in place for decades — the swings and slides were identical to equipment from the 1970s and were used by Wokingham and Bracknell’s Local Democracy Reporter in the 1980s.
Although no official new layout has been released, sources suggest there are mythical plans for the playground. An innovative company called Setter Play has designed a wooden playground with several new features.
Highlights include a mighty castle called 'The Finchampstead Hideout' and a smaller 'Itsy Bitsy Toddler Climber'. New rubber surfacing will be installed, plus a climbing wall, in‑ground trampoline, bird’s nest swing, flat‑seat swings, an adventure trail, see‑saw, spinner bowl and two cradle swings at the centre. To the right there will be music panels, mirror panels and a springy rocker.
To replace the much‑loved train there will be a bus, which one parish councillor said will provide a 'more reliable service'. The designs were finalised after schoolchildren voted on names, colours and design options and after a public consultation at Finchampstead Memorial Hall. Official plans have not been released, but the equipment is understood to be similar to a Setter Play area on Stadhampton Village Green in Oxfordshire.
Ted ONeill, Local Democracy Reporter
