A section of Worcester’s new Power Park playground will have to be redesigned after two pieces of equipment snapped in less than a year.

Area 51 in Power Park, St Peter’s, opened in June last year thanks to a £60,000 grant.

It was designed with the help of local children and took inspiration from the city’s Civil War history, including five-metre high timber poles made to represent pikes carried by soldiers.

But two of the poles have split and disintegrated in the eight months since the park opened and parish councillors are now working with the architect to redesign the equipment to prevent it from happening again.

Bob Jenkins, clerk at St Peter’s Parish Council, said: “The leverage is quite something. The further out you extend something, the more vulnerable it is under pressure. If they were shortened they wouldn’t be so susceptible.”

It is hoped the solution to the problem will have been found by the council’s next meeting on Monday, March 26.

It is not yet known who will foot the bill.