CHARITY workers are appealing for the community to rally round after a blaze by suspected arsonists destroyed their community offices and play centre.

The fire struck yesterday afternoon at Bell Farm Adventure Playground in Byland Avenue. The building was so badly damaged it will have to be torn down - at the charity's own expense.

The cost of the rebuilding has been estimated at £370,000.

The playground is expected to be closed for about a year as it will no longer be able to provide supervision or toilet facilities for the children, and demolition and rebuilding work will be taking place.

The centre houses playground supervisors, plus an open access indoor play area which welcomes 50 children a day, catering for hundreds of local children each week. "I'm totally gutted to be honest, we've worked so hard but now this," said Naomi Lapite, 28, chairwoman of the Bell Farm Adventure Playground.

"We were in the middle of new funding bids to try to get a new playground and a new building, but now we've got to spend our funds to pull it down, which is heartbreaking. But it's made us more determined to go on and get the support of the community behind us, so I would appeal to anyone who can help us, building firms who can spare a man for a day, or some equipment, anyone who can help." It was the third fire in two years at the centre.

The fire officer in charge at the scene, York station officer Mal Austwick, said he believed the fire had been maliciously started.

He said: "We have had a couple of small fires in this area recently, rubbish and cars, and at the moment we believe it is going to be a deliberate ignition cause, but investigations are continuing."

Neighbour Valerie Harris said:"This has happened so many times, at least now they can't keep setting it on fire."

Updated: 10:33 Monday, November 24, 2003