‘sucH a sHOcK’
People living nearby said they were shocked about the incident, but some said they avoided the area after dark.
Full-time mum Sarah Burton, 34, of Norfolk Road, said: “It’s disgusting what happened. It’s such a shock because it’s normally quiet round here.
“I don’t like going out on my own at night anyway and I don’t want my 13-year-old son going out on his own at night now.”
Retired Peter Williamson, 78, has lived near the park in Shepway for 43 years and doesn’t use the park after nightfall.
He said: “There are always teenagers hanging around in the kids’ play area. They don’t bother me personally but they frighten other people.”
Borough councillor Marion Ring has previously campaigned for improvements in street lighting following safety concerns when Kent County Council switched to partial night lighting.
She said: “It is a tragic thing that has happened. My concern is that we have a youth centre on one side and a children’s play area at the other end, and kids and teenagers use the park all the time.”