Children's playground destroyed by fire in Heywood

A popular playground has been destroyed after a fire ripped through the play equipment overnight.

The charred remains of a slide and climbing wall have been cordoned off after the fire, at Bullough Moor park, in Heywood, Greater Manchester, took hold around midnight, 1 April.

Residents reported seeing smoke at around 12.30am, while others say flames could be seen across Rochdale.

Emergency services and at least one fire engine responded to the incident, and investigations into what caused the fire is still being carried out.

People living near the park in Heywood say it had been particularly busy over the Easter Bank Holiday, with scores of children playing in the park over the long weekend.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

Resident Mikaela, who saw smoke out of her window about 30 minutes after midnight and went to investigate, said: "A passer by told me they had seen a group of youths sat by the park as it was on fire but ran off just before the fire engine came."

She says she now hopes something good could come after the fire.

She added: "It wasn't much of a park to be honest but parents made use of what they had available.

"It would be nice to see it replaced with something even better."