Playground funding has been cut by more than 70 per cent in Bexley - one of the biggest falls in spending in the country.

The Play Gap Report, commissioned by ESP Play, has found that the south east London borough has significantly reduced spending on children's outdoor play.

From 2018/2019 to 2022/2023, spend in Bexley has dropped from £154,683 to £40,916, a decrease of 74 per cent.

The report revealed a detrimental impact on mental and physical health due to the lack of outdoor play provision.

Andrew Wood from ESP Play said: "Ensuring equitable access to quality play spaces is crucial for nurturing healthy, resilient communities.

"We have long campaigned for more funding for play spaces as we know how vital they are for the health and development of children."

Bexley's funding cuts placed it in the top 10 councils in the UK with the biggest fall in playground spending.

Other London local authorities in this top 10 include Hillingdon, with a 62 per cent decrease, and Richmond upon Thames, with a drop of more than half.

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Professor Helen Dodd of Play England highlighted the importance of such facilities, saying: "Children who spend more time playing, especially outdoors and adventurously, have better mental health and are more physically active.

"Children’s play opportunities are affected by the environments around them, with some environments facilitating active, adventurous, engaged play, and others discouraging play.

"It is therefore really important that children have access to places that support their play such as playgrounds."

Other areas which have seen dramatic a dramatic fall in playground funding include Gateshead, Manchester and York.

Slough recorded the biggest cuts in the country, with an 88 per cent drop in funding.

Bexley Council was approached for comment.