A CHILDREN’S park in Portishead which has yet to open to youngsters has become an eyesore to residents living nearby.

Families living in Cheviot Meadow are appealing to developers to get the park, which was completed earlier in the year, open.

Tanya Archer whose home overlooks the park said: “Contractors installed a lovely slide, swings and other equipment about 12 weeks ago and then fenced it off so the public couldn’t get in. It has remained like that ever since but now weeds have grown 3ft high inside the fence and it is looking a complete mess.”

Parents say, not only is it unsightly but it is teasing their children who can see the new equipment installed just metres from their houses, which they are not allowed to play on.

Another resident who did not want to be named said: “It’s torture for the children living in the street who look out of their homes straight on to a lovely play area to which they cannot gain access.”

A spokesman for Sovereign Housing, which owns many of the properties in Cheviot Meadow, says the park was installed by Persimmon Homes.

He said: “While this play area does not fall under Sovereign’s ownership, we are keen that it is brought into use as soon as possible for the benefit of residents on the estate. For this reason we have been liaising with the developers to ensure that it can be made accessible to the public as soon as possible.”

A spokesman for North Somerset Council confirmed they too are working with Persimmon to resolve the issue.