Hornsey mothers want the council to restore their favourite park to its former glory, after enduring a play area scattered with glass and rusty nails.

Stationers Park, near Weston Park Primary School and Hornsey Day Nursery, has won Green Flag awards for excellence, but has fallen into disrepair since losing its park keeper in 2011.

Mother-of-two Lucia Ciampa said the park was a lifeline when she gave birth to a son with special needs.

Her son, Joseph had serious feeding difficulties, and it was crucial for her that she could take her young daughter out somewhere very close for fresh air.

“The park is our garden,” she said. “There are fewer and fewer places you can take children when they are very young. Lots of people make friends in the parks - it’s a real focal point for the community.”

Stationers Park parents have launched a petition on Haringey Council’s website to save the park.

“The equipment, which is all over 30 years old, is in a very bad state of repair,” the petition says.

“The drainage system broke many years ago, so stagnant water collects in large pools, posing a health risk.

“There is a lot of exposed concrete and unsafe surfacing surrounding the equipment.

“Rubbish is now only collected three times a week, which means that it often overflows from the small bin.”

Haringey have so far pledged £30,000 for renovation, a third of the estimated costs, and the Stationers Park group also hope to raise money through fundraising.

A Haringey Council spokeswoman said: “We recognise that some work is needed to upgrade this section of Stationers Park, which is why we were happy to contribute towards improving the area. We would be happy to discuss this issue further with any park users.”

To sign the petition: minutes.haringey.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?id=42