A SENIOR councillor has been hailed as a "Fairy Godmother" after pledging to find the cash to fix the playpark in the Glen that was vandalised recently.

Helen Law, convener of the City of Dunfermline area committee, said they'll dig into their funds to meet the estimated £2,100 repair bill.

Vandals had set fire to the lower playpark in Pittencrieff Park over the weekend of January 2-3 (see today's Press for more on this story) and the council said the parks department was unlikely to be able to find the money to carry out repairs until new budgets are set in April.

Some of the play equipment was so badly damaged that it was removed and will have to be replaced.

Cllr Law told the Press: "It's going to be £2,100 to fix the playpark and I've said we'll get that money from the local area committee budget.

"We really want to get these repairs carried out as soon as possible."

Harry Dunn, chair of the Friends of Pittencrieff Park, said: "The play area that was targeted by vandals was the one near the Nethertown Broad Street entrance,  well liked and used by local children.

"John O'Neil (from Fife Council) reported that some of the equipment and safety matting had been damaged by fire, the repair estimate to which John had no budget for was £2,100.

"Whilst the damage could have been a lot worse considering that the  play structures are mainly wood, the Friends were determined to restore the equipment, and allowing for the current Covid regulations we would have fundraised to achieve this.

"John has now advised that a Fairy Godmother has now informed him that sufficient resources are now available to his budget, and that he will arrange for the repair as soon as he is able.

"So it is a good news story, however the Friends continue to be very concerned with regard to the increasing amount of mindless vandalism being inflicted upon the park amenities."

He added: "The Friends, along with Fife Council, had fund sourced the play area's installation a number years ago and it was formally opened by the chair of the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust and the children from the local schools.

"This is the area immediately adjacent to the Lawyers Orchard that the Friends have funded and planted up with fruit trees over the years, thankfully there has been no evident damage to the trees, as only a few months ago the Friends were able to harvest the apples and make a donation to the local foodbanks."