'Kids' space' idea over unruly youngsters

Children playing in Oswestry's indoor market are "becoming a serious health and safety concern", council officers have said. Now the town council is to debate setting up a "kids' space".

The plan comes after shoppers complained of being knocked into by unruly youngsters.

Concerns were raised in a report to the markets and car parks committee, which meets tomorrow. It says youngsters are running around the market unsupervised and causing problems.

The report says: "For some considerable time complaints have been received from traders about small children running around the market.

"It would appear the young people in question are related to traders who are working in their shop units."

It added: "In an attempt to rectify the matter, letters were sent to all traders requesting they supervise their children whilst in the Powis Hall.

"Unfortunately, this does not seem to be happening and a complaint has been received from a member of the public who was accidentally jostled by a young boy.

"Clearly this is an issue which must be dealt with as a matter of urgency and some action should be taken to alleviate the problem."

It adds one suggestion is to "convert the vacant unit on the ground floor into a 'kid's space', therefore providing the children with somewhere to sit and play".

Councillors will be asked to devise a policy "on the course of action required to prevent the continuation of hazardous situations caused by children running around the building".

The meeting follows a planning committee meeting, which begins at 7pm.