Twenty seven people were injured at Braintree Discovery Centre over the summer holidays, with over a third of the cases being serious incidents.

The figures, from 1 June to early September, show August to have the highest accident rate, with 10 reported injuries.

And eleven of the cases throughout the summer came under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurences Regulations (RIDDOR), totalling about 0.02 per cent of the 40,951 visitors to Great Notley Country Park.

A spokesperson for the council said all reported incidents are investigated, and “the play facilities at Great Notley Country Park meet the guidelines contained within European Safety Standards EN 1176/7 and have been assessed by an independent playground inspector.

Read this week's Braintree and Witham Times for the full story