CAIRNEYHILL residents fear that a child could be injured seriously if a housebuilder doesn't act to address a playpark described as a "wasteland".

The Press reported recently that a young Rosyth girl was left needing surgery after a metal fence collapsed on her in a Leven playpark and her uncle, who lives in the Pitdinnie Grange development in Cairneyhill, is crying out for Avant Homes to take action to prevent history repeating itself and another youngster being hurt badly.

A number of villagers contacted the Press this week, angry that they had been "let down and badly disappointed" by Avant Homes over the playpark and surrounding landscaping.

The uncle, who didn't want to be named, told the Press: "You will be aware of Esme Philip, she was injured in a Leven park after an insecure railing fell on her, splitting her head open.

"The park at the Avant site is in very poor condition; the surrounding grounds haven't been finished, with materials buried in the mud, which kids walk and play on as it's immediately attached to the playpark.

"There is metal fencing lying right by the playpark and I have no doubt if the kids decided to climb all over that it would have a horrendous outcome.

"There has been continuous construction on walks as you lead up Pitdinnie Road just as you turn into the estate. I know for a fact that one of these walls is not secure and boulders can literally be pulled out of the construction.

"Essentially, the Avant site is in poor condition but, more worrying, it's not safe for the people, mainly kids, that live there.

"We know kids like to get into everything but it's a matter of time until another incident like Esme's happens."

Another man, who wished to remain anonymous, said his two-year-old son was able to pick up a metal pipe off the ground that he claimed had been left behind by workers at the site.

He told the Press that the state the playpark was in was "not what was shown to us in the glossy brochure when we bought our house", adding that he felt Avant Homes had "washed their hands of the site now that the homes have been built".

Another local said that the new-build development had been a "disaster from the beginning", with a chemical toilet left on-site and pieces of rubble and used materials acting as potential hazards.

She said: "The playpark and surrounding pavements and roads are now my main concern.

"I live directly across from the park – or should I say wasteland with a roundabout – it’s a mess and unsafe."

Describing the playpark as a "monstrosity", villagers claim emails about the facility's condition were being ignored.

A spokesperson for Avant Homes Scotland told the Press that residents should be assured that site works were being carried out as "quickly as possible".

They stated: "We would like to reassure local homeowners at Cairneyhill that we are complying with our obligations to both them and those set out within the planning permission granted by Fife Council.

“We are carrying out works on the site as quickly as we can given the challenging environment we are operating in due to the pandemic. We are focused on addressing the situation to the reasonable satisfaction of both residents and the local authority."