Angry mothers and staff say the open-air playground at the Argus Centre, which was built two years ago with lottery money won in a national TV competition, is constantly left in a state of chaos by thoughtless teenagers who break in at night to smoke and drink alcohol in secret.

According to manager Jacqueline Combe, staff regularly have to clear up empty alcohol bottles, fag ends and rubbish left behind by the young vandals who have also broken some of the toddlers favourite toys and damaged the surrounding fence during their night-time antics.

She told The Wee Paper: "It's so frustrating and we're getting to the point where we don't know what to do about it.

"Toys are left upside down and scattered around and the little house has been demolished so many times it doesn't fit together properly any more.

"It's happening at least once a week and it means we have to come out and clear things up before the children can come out which eats into their playtime outside.

"It really disrupts things for them.

"Police have suggested installing CCTV, but that's so expensive and would take an awful lot of fund-raising."

The £22,500 play area was opened in March 2006 after the Selkirk nursery won ITV's The People's Millions competition.

Souters voted in their hundreds to help Argus claim the prize, which was announced live on Border TV's Lookaround programme.

It currently provides outdoor activities for 12 three-year-olds at the nursery, including slides, see-saws and a sandpit, and is also home to Bug World, where the tots have created a home for creepy-crawlies and wee beasties.

The mindless vandalism began just months after the outdoor play area was opened and, despite fund-raising over the summer to build a higher fence, the determined young hooligans are still finding a way in and causing extensive damage.

"We just want people to be more aware that it's for the community, especially since the people of Selkirk helped us get it in the first place," Jacqueline continued.

"If teenagers thought about their actions more, maybe they wouldn't spoil it for the younger ones."

Sergeant John Kerr told us: "CCTV is the most effective way to deal with this kind of thing but there are other options and we'll endeavour to step up patrols in the area. Argus contacted us last week about the most recent incident and we found signs of alcohol abuse which we're keen to follow up.

"I'll be there myself next week on night shift and will personally keep my eyes open along with other officers on patrol in the vicinity."