A plan to move a play area in Wymondham sparked a fierce debate at the town's annual parish meeting.

About 40 people were at the event at Wymondham Central Hall on Tuesday evening.

Mayor Joe Mooney and town and district councillor Lee Hornby defended the town council's decision to relocate the play equipment to Browick Road recreation ground because of concerns over noise at the current site, King's Head Meadow.

Wymondham resident Julie Grant said the move would lead to anti-social behaviour and claimed the plan was against police wishes.

She said: 'The teenagers are going to be pushed back into town because you are going to have a play area where it's really not needed.

'How can you explain going against the police?'

Residents also said the Browick Road ground was not easily accessible for the disabled.

But Mr Mooney said the decision to move the play area, to cost £60,000, was a good one.

He said: 'I know some people don't like the decision which is fair enough but it was made by a democratically elected body.

'Browick Road is a recreation ground. It's not surrounded by residents like King's Head Meadow.

'That site is not suitable for the equipment that was put there.'

Mr Hornby said the relocation plan wasn't perfect but 'the benefits still outweigh the negatives'.

The play area, which cost £75,000, was only opened in 2014.

Other issues discussed at the meeting included the need for new council offices, the upkeep of the town's former saleyard site and the future of its farmers' market.

There was also a discussion about whether disabled access to Wymondham's newly-expanded leisure centre had been properly evaluated and catered for.

Resident Tony Vale suggested Wymondham needed to revive its tourism board to raise the town's profile, and Mr Mooney said it was worth considering.

Mr Vale said: 'Who is in charge of presenting Wymondham to the outside world?'

n Do you have a Wymondham story? Email Stuart Anderson on stuart.anderson@archant.co.uk