CHIPPENHAM NEWS: A CHILDREN'S roundabout has been closed off days after it was installed because it failed safety tests.

The roundabout, in John Coles Park, Chippenham, was designed for disabled children under the new Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).

After it was installed eagle-eyed Ray Lane, head of service delivery for Chippenham Town Council, spotted potential dangers in the roundabout.

He said: "I noticed it had some traps it had potential for children to get arms trapped."

He called in the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), which carried out an inspection.

The RoSPA agreed the play equipment posed a danger and it was locked up and cordoned off.

The Italian manufacturers of the £5,000 piece of equipment have provided replacement parts, which are due to be fitted in the next few weeks.

Chippenham Town Council clerk Laurie Brown said the roundabout had been bought to fit in with the DDA, under which local authorities have to provide facilities for disabled children.

He said: "Ray was very sharp in noticing that it wasn't 100 per cent successful and I think it's important that he might have saved a child from getting hurt."

Mum Nicola Slee, 29, whose children play in John Coles Park, said: "I had no idea why it was taped up but it will be nice when it's working again."