Maitland councillor Henry Meskauskas believes the playing fields are now too dangerous for weekend sport and has called on Maitland City Council to provide cash to fence off the vulnerable park.

He said this is not the first time the oval, near Metford Railway Station, has been hit.

“This is occurring over and over and it has to be stopped,” Cr Meskauskas said.

“I think this is the result of both motorbikes and cars driving onto the oval and doing burnouts. We need a fence or bollards there to stop these vandals,” he said.

Cr Meskauskas said he has spoken to council parks and maintenance staff asking for money to be spent on securing the oval but believes his calls have fallen on deaf ears.

“I’m just told there is no cash available for this which is unacceptable when we have raised rates and fees for sporting fields,” he said.

“I believe the oval is now too dangerous to play on. Someone could break a leg running around out there. It’s a shame because there would be hundreds of kids preparing to play soccer there this weekend.”

East Ward Councillor Ben Whiting said he has been working with Little Athletics to get the oval fenced.

“We have been pushing for fencing for sometime,” he said.

“This is a risk to the kids using the oval, motorcyclists have even been seen riding through the Little Athletics Tiny Tots group,” he said.

“Council has attended taking action to rectify as much as possible including using a roller to flatten and reduce trip hazards but ultimately it will only properly repair as the grass grows,” Cr Whiting said.