A campaign for a community park has attracted more than 250 signatures from residents.

Nikki Bushell, who has been in Clarendon Place, Dover, for three weeks, is a mother of four and soon realised her children had nowhere to play.

She moved from Aycliffe, where residents applied pressure to the district council to replace a dilapidated playground that was deemed unfit for use.

Ms Bushell, 35, said: “I noticed a lot of the children go up and down on their scooters in the road and how quickly cars speed up there.”

An overgrown derelict field has been earmarked as a preferred location behind Clarendon Place. It would be called Priory Park.

She said:“One day someone is going to be hurt.

'One day someone is going to be hurt.' - Nikki Bushell

"We need a park here, on the doorstep, so children can play safely and we can keep an eye on them.”

The community has offered its support by helping to clear half of the grassland in under a week.

But on Sunday there was evidence to suggest a series of small fires had been started.

“A few fires had been started on the ground and there had been some drinking and legal highs had been taken,” she said.

She has since been drumming up support by knocking on the doors of her neighbours.

Labour Cllr Peter Wallace has also been involved, dedicating time out of his weekend to help clear the debris.

He has also arranged for waste collectors to take the rubbish.

Cllr Wallace said: “A few years ago the council closed lots of small parks and invested in big, centralised parks but for the children in the Clarendon area there is no safe place left to play.

“The nearest park is across a main road, the other is over a mile away. Parents have nowhere for their children to play outside and children are losing out on the experience of growing up with independence.

“The council needs to provide a park here and I’m glad Nikki contacted me about starting a petition, because I know the council will want to listen to the public.”

Another attempt will be made this weekend to clear more of the area.