A heartless arsonist has left Wellington toddlers without a fort and a slide after a suburban playground was damaged by fire.
Wellington City Council said the fire, lit at the playground in Karori early on Sunday, had caused an estimated $40,000 worth of damage.
The playground's toddler section including a fort, a slide and 30sq m of rubber matting was destroyed in the fire.
The council's parks and gardens manager, Paul Andrews, said the council would try to replace the playground equipment as quickly as possible but it was unlikely children could play on the new facilities before February.
"We have reported the incident to the police and I can only hope that the culprits are caught and that justice is served," he said.
