'It's disgusting': Community devastated after arsonists torch playground

Residents in Adelaide's north are reeling from the destruction of a beloved children's playground by arsonists. 

The incident, captured on CCTV, occurred in the early hours of Friday morning, leaving a charred mess and a community devastated.

"Some people brought a sports bag full of wood and lots of petrol and put it under the main part of the playground," said Dennis Doody, a member of the Gawler Uniting Church, which sits next to the playground. 

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"They set it alight and within an hour, it was all gone.

"We have a playgroup of about 70 to 80 people. The kids would come out and play on that."

Police told Doody, who's been a part of the church for over 70 years, that the fire bugs who targeted the playground may also have set public toilets nearby on fire a few weeks ago.

"That really is the disappointing thing for me – there's people out there that'll just do it because they feel like doing it," Doody said.

The community has rallied around the church, offering support and assistance, including helping cover the cost of rebuilding the playground.

"I think it's disgusting," local resident Christie Bennett said. 

"There aren't many playgrounds for kids around this area, and that one was quite nice."

Police are continuing to hunt for those responsible. 

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.