DOZENS of bored Ammanford children have been left with nowhere to play after the park on their estate was shut for safety reasons.

Strict rules also ban ball games from being played in Ffynnon Las, leaving kids with the option of playing in their own garden or facing a half-mile trek to the nearest park in the middle of town.

The park was closed because Family Housing, which owns the facility, says three fences surrounding it are unsafe.

Furious parents have been told by the association it will not be re-opened until brick walls are built - with no time scale mentioned.

This leaves over 60 kids in limbo and with the school summer holidays fast approaching, outraged residents have called for the gates to the park to be unlocked as soon as possible.

Karen Beech, chairman of the Ffynnon Las/Pant Glas Community Association, asked where the authorities expected children to play.

She said:"They can't play in the park, they can't play ball games on the road so what are they expected to do?"

Mandy David, who also lives on the estate, said the majority of residents just wanted the park open.

"The children here have absolutely nowhere to play and some of the younger ones are too small to walk over to Ammanford park.

"They are going to start causing mischief if nothing is done soon."

Parents have also earmarked a field alongside the estate as a potential playground. They also hoped Carmarthenshire Council would adopt the park, but officials have insisted it will not be the case - for the time being at least.

"But we have carried out an audit on the park and see no reason why the park cannot be opened," said a spokesman.