Gates stolen from park

Councillor Brian Bloomfield said that late last Sunday night the newly-completed metal gates at the canal/towpath end of the footbridge in McIlroy Park, just off the Ballyskeagh Road, were removed from their fittings.

“As well, I have been told that the gates at the Distillery/Drumbo Park entrance were similarly dismantled and removed though one element of the gates remains” Mr Bloomfield said.

“These gates were of substantial dimensions, the fitting of which was only completed by staff from Lisburn City Council the previous week.”

Mr Bloomfield said the theft of at McIlroy Park was discovered by some early-morning walkers, one of whom was able to confirm that the gates were intact late on Sunday afternoon.

In recent months there has been a surge in thefts of metal and oil across rural parts of Lisburn.

A church and schools have all been targeted.