TEENAGERS have had to be rescued by firefighters after squeezing themselves into toddler swings for a new craze, leaving play equipment at a park ruined.

The rising trend has taken over social media platform TikTok as youngsters film themselves forcing their way into the children’s tiny swings – only to find themselves trapped.

The viral videos gave the idea to teens in Thundersley, who have now broken all the toddler swing sets in the Swans Green Park.

Firefighters were called to rescue a teen from a swing in the park last month after they got stuck in the metal frames.

Residents have been left furious that toddlers have been forced to go without as a result of the damage caused by youngsters showing off online.

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Andie Freeston, a Thundersley resident with a two-year-old grandson, claims 21 teenagers have had to be rescued in the South East.

She said: “The toddlers haven’t got anything to play with.

“There’s this TikTok trend where people try to squeeze into the swings. They have been broken in Swans Green park since April.

“It’s been talked about in the village about these teenagers allegedly doing it.

“It’s disgusting. I’ve got a two-year-old grandson and I want to be able to take him to the park to play.

“The play park has only been there a little while. It was used so so much before they shut it during lockdown and then after.

“The park became the place to go and there were so many youngsters in there playing. It become popular like it never was before and that’s been taken away from them now.”

It is not just the park swings grabbing the attention of teenagers looking for thrills in the children’s play area.

Andie added: “There was college students in there jumping on the trampoline. I said to them “you’re too big for that you’re going to break it” and they just laughed and walked off.

“The teenagers are going to wreck it and it’s so cruel for the little ones who go to the park and find there’s nothing for them to play on.

“We just want the swings back and while the TikTok craze is going on that probably won’t happen.”

Cedar Hall ward councillor Colin MacLean has slammed those responsible for the damage for ruining children’s fun for the sake of a ten-second video.

However, he insists children will not be forced to miss out as the council works to replace the broken swings “imminently”.

Mr MacLean said: “It’s just irresponsible for the older kids to do this.

“The council have budgets but we have been able to deliver that playground and we could do without it being damaged.

“We worked really hard in getting the funding for the playground and to see it ruined for a ten-second video is not on.

“For ten seconds of entertainment on TikTok, that’s hours and hours of fun for children ruined.

“Why should the majority of the community miss out.

“They will be replaced imminently.”

Essex Fire Service confirmed they had to rescue a teenager from the swing set at the park on Hart Road.

An Essex County Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “A crew from Rayleigh Weir was called to Hart Road in Thundersley at 5.15pm on April 13 to reports of a person stuck in a swing.

“On arrival, firefighters reported that a teenager was trapped in a swing and rescued them by 5.33pm.”