Residents remain angry as the Chapel-en-le-Frith Multi Use Games Area has been removed.

The end of a legal battle that has dragged on for years has seen the removal of the MUGA from Chapel’s War Memorial Park.

Last week we spoke to the children who use the park but feelings still remain high.

Mum-of-one Sarah, 51, said: “I used to bring my son here when he was a toddler and he’s used it since then.

Diggers have been breaking up the MUGA in Chapel-en-le-Frith Memorial Park, Derbyshire. Photo Tom Maddick SWNS

placeholder image — Diggers have been breaking up the MUGA in Chapel-en-le-Frith Memorial Park, Derbyshire. Photo Tom Maddick SWNS

"He’s 13 now and he would have used it during the winter. Loads of kids used it.

“It was a shock to see the bulldozers tearing it up. It's sad really because it's yet another place where kids can't go.

“You’re talking about getting kids into sport and it’s taking it away."

The MUGA was installed in 2010 after a fundraising campaign, however two households complained about the noise and said the games area was too close to homes.

An aerial shot of the Muga being removed from Chapel's Memorial Park. Photo Tom Maddick SWNS

This was escalated to court in 2021 after Chapel Parish Council failed to respond to the submitted noise readings. Initially a judge ruled the complainants were “hypersensitive to noise” but a High Court judge overturned the ruling in November 2022. The council Chapel was given four months to solve the noise problem by either closing the MUGA or re-installing it further away from homes but again failed to act.

Ritchie Fay, who has two sons, aged 11 and 17, said: "We need it; we have to have it. There is nothing else now in Chapel for kids.

"We've got a little playground for up to seven-year-olds, we've got a football pitch here, but it can't be used because it is wet and boggy, and that's it."

Locals were also left in uproar after the council put taxes up 86 per cent to help pay the “six-figure” legal fees.

The end of a long and expensive legal battle for Chapel Parish Council sees the removal of the much loved and well used MUGA. Photo Tom Maddick

Helen Chadwick, 75, said: “It was just brilliant, all the kids played and it was glorious to see all of these different ages playing together.

“I don't understand why it couldn't have just have been moved into the middle of the park to reduce the noise for people nearby."

Stuart Barber, 78, said: “I think it’s a bit childish what they’ve done. It should have been kept, a lot of people used it.

“Such a small group of people have managed to change something so petty, it’s a joke.”

Grandmother Stephanie Ashton said: “My grandkids come here to play football as they’ve got friends in Chapel as well.

“It’s good for them to be out in the park rather than playing on their iPads. Every time you came to the park there were always kids on it.

“I wouldn’t say it was noisy at all, they were just generally playing football.

“All they needed to do was put soundproofing around and that would’ve cured it. You get shouting in every town and village."

Richard Buxton Solicitors, which represented the three residents, said: "The parish council installed the MUGA in the wrong place to begin with.

“It has taken 15 years and prolonged legal proceedings to get the parish council to resolve its error.”

The legal firm said there had never been any claim for compensation against the parish council.

Vice Chairman of the parish council Councillor Andrew Foreshew-Cain added: “The MUGA is being saved and stored with the hope of it getting reinstalled as soon as possible at a different location.”