A new playground which cost nearly £100,000 to build was torched by vandals.

The adventure playground at Southwick recreation ground, off Old Barn Way in Fishersgate, was set alight in an arson at about midnight on Wednesday.

Firefighters were called and said the rubber safety flooring and a climbing frame had been badly damaged in the blaze.

The playground opened in November after Adur District Council invited members of the public to help them design it.

The council paid £61,000 and the remaining £35,000 was donated by waste company Viridor.

Fire investigators and police were called to find out what was used to start the blaze this morning.

Park regular Jim Andrews, 60, walks his dog and takes his granddaughter to the playground.

He said: "It is disgusting. "All the kids got involved in working on it. "It is absolutely disgraceful. Everybody is outraged. "There is hardly anything left of it."