Lettie (left) and Aniyah (right)

Disabled children are being locked out of UK playgrounds because of a lack of accessible play equipment – and the consequences are heartbreaking.

Desperate to give their children opportunities to play, some parents are driving miles from their homes to find accessible parks.

Lettie, who is nine and uses a wheelchair, is one of these children. Her mum Jessica has to drive seven miles to take her to a playground she can actually use, as her local park isn’t accessible to her.

“Sometimes I just sit and colour while the other kids play, but I don’t really want to go to the park nearby anymore,” Lettie told HuffPost UK.

“There’s nothing there I can use. I feel left out. The other park we go to has a swing and roundabout I can use, which makes it more fun. But it’s far away – I wish our park had things like that too.

“It would be great if all parks had things every kid could use.”

The family, based in Yorkshire, are not alone in their plight. In a survey of 2,000 parents, half said their child is excluded from play due to inaccessible playgrounds.

Lettie’s mum, Jessica, said: “Our local park simply isn’t built with disabled children in mind. There are no accessible surfaces, no ramps, and nothing Lettie can use independently or safely. Even paths to the play area can be uneven and difficult with a wheelchair.”

The family would love to see accessible swings, sensory areas and wheelchair-friendly paths added to their local playground so “Lettie could finally feel part of her local........

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