Parents trying to transform a Swindon playground for local children are pleading with youngsters to stop vandalising their efforts.

Since January, Cambria Bridge families have been fundraising to improve a patch of waste ground for their children to play on.

Spearheaded by mum-of-two Maxine Reynolds, the group has gradually transformed the area from a barren eyesore into a bright, cheery recreation ground.

It now has swings and slides and football and basketball markings thanks to grants and money from Swindon Council.

But parents' efforts to paint a mural on the dilapidated wall enclosing the playground are being hampered by older children.

The group has paid £750 to have the wall cleaned and rendered but it has twice been daubed with rude words and pictures.

Parents are making a final effort to clean and paint it this weekend and are urging children to leave it alone.

"It is such a shame because it is costing us an awful lot of money to render the wall and if the children don't let us do it we can't paint the mural which is for the community," said Maxine, 36.

"I don't think they realise what they are doing.

"Perhaps they are getting frustrated that not all of our intended improvements have been completed yet but these things take time and money which we have to fundraise for."

The mural is to be painted by local artist Ken White who created the original picture on the wall in the 1970s and many similar ones on buildings around Swindon.

It will feature pictures drawn by local children at Robert Le Kyng Primary School with their names signed underneath.

Providing the weather is fine and there is no further vandalism, the mural will be painted tomorrow and Sunday with the help of local volunteers.

"We wanted to get the children involved because it is their playground. They have come up with some wonderful drawings which will look great on the wall when it is finished," said Maxine.

Designed for the whole community, the next stage for the area is a rose garden which parents hope to start work on in January.

They have been given donations of soil and roses and Swindon Council has pledged to meet the rest of the costs.