Parents had waited 12 years for a new £26,000 playground to keep their children amused.

Now, just a week after they celebrated its opening, it has been completely destroyed by arsonists.

Parents, children and even councillors were brought to tears when the devastation was discovered yesterday morning.

The people of Peacehaven had waited years for the money to be able to rebuild a play area in Epinay Park in the town.

A developer had given the money to the town in a deal struck when it applied for planning permission to build eight houses.

Peacehaven Town Council spent the money putting down a safety surface and installing items of play equipment for younger children.

But someone deliberately built a fire under a piece of the equipment and it has been destroyed just days after it officially opened.

Police are treating the incident as arson.

Residents discovered the still-smouldering wreckage while taking their children to the nearby Meridian Primary School.

Dawn Paul, 44, of Mount Caburn Crescent, Peacehaven, admitted she had cried when she saw the remains.

Mother-of-four Mrs Paul said: "These people are the lowest form of scum."

Mrs Paul's youngest children Hannah, four, and Marc, seven, are devastated by the vandalism, which has forced Peacehaven Town Council to close the park because of health and safety issues.

Three of the pieces of equipment and half of the safety flooring has been wrecked.

The damage is estimated at £8,000.

Following the arson attack, a fire crew from Newhaven fire station, went to the scene to put out the burning rubber matting. It is believed some kind of accelerant, possibly petrol, had been placed under one of the structures in the centre of the park, spreading to the outer equipment.

Someone had walked on the melting rubber flooring and climbed over the other play equipment, spreading a glue-like substance all over them.

Police want residents to check members of their family who may have melted rubber on their shoes or a strange smell on their clothing, which may be linked to the fire.

Mrs Paul added: "I'm really sad, I feel like bursting into tears."

Town council clerk Sheila Baker was also on the verge of tears. She said: "It's soul destroying. We were about to issue a press release to officially open the play area."

The town council held a meeting the night before the attack on Tuesday night to discuss plans for the official launch of the play area.

The insurance assessor was due at the park yesterday but it is not known when or if the play area will be reopened.

Leader of the town council and East Sussex County Councillor John Livings had to break the news to the children of Meridian Primary School about the play area being destroyed at their assembly yesterday morning.

He said: "They sat there open-eyed like children do in absolute silence. They only had a week to play on it and now half of it is destroyed."

Coun Livings believes the culprit lives within the Peacehaven community and made a deliberate attack on the new area.

He said: "It's a community member or one of the children from the community. We will find out who it is and they will be punished.

"We will make sure they are brought to book and if the police do not deal with them, we will take civil action if we find out who it is."

Sussex Police are appealing for witnesses to call on 0845 6070999. All information will be treated in the strictest confidence.