WELL done, Brighton and Hove Council for funding playground refurbishment, so they remain safe and exciting places for little ones.

Fun, stimulation, challenging, playful, exercise and co-operative play are more important than ever.

Perhaps the colourful, curvy and naturalistic equipment and sand had become a bit boring and messy, not just due an overhaul.

But whose idea was this, as the best theme on which to spend £142,000?

Patriarchal military castles? Crusading lionheart flags? A princess coach?

I suppose you can be both a princess and a scientist, be put in your place as a girl but then escape down the slide rather than be rescued by a knight

in shiny armour. I guess you could be black or muslim and a crusader. I suppose it isn't necessarily sexist or gender biased at all to fight in castles to get

to the top.

But seriously? Is this our best interpretation of child's play? This challenges everything we have surely been learning about sexism, stereotypes, aggression, nationalism, equality, diversity for the last two decades at least.

It is so against the grain, I despair at how it was ever thought of as a good theme to which to introduce our youngest.

A Davidson

Hove