Swing Fairy has been to Bramley Fall Woods

Just a couple of weeks ago, my kids chanced upon a swing - one of those home made rope-slung-a-bit-too-far-along-the-branch varieties - and I think we’ve been back every day since. Them to have the time of their lives and me to stand there cautiously eyeing said rope and branch and trying not to imagine scenarios in which my little ‘uns come to grief.

This is an impossible task for any parent, as you can usually smell disaster in even the most benign situations. Home made park swings operate significantly above the danger threshold and therefore several neath-death situations presented themselves.

Still, you can’t beat a good swing, at least that is when you’re seven and nine. Maybe even a little older, judging by the queue of slightly more rambunctious teenagers who turned up one day while we were on it.

I think there must be an age limit for home made rope park swings and it’s about 20 or 22 or something like that.

Still, that didn’t stop one woman having a go on one of the swings in Bramley Fall Woods the other day. She rued the decision almost immediately, the piece of wood she foolishly put her trust in failed in classic You’ve Been Framed style as she was a few feet off the ground, sending her crashing somewhat embarrassingly with a bump to the leaf litter. Shame I didn’t video it, as I could have made a quick £250. I did ask if she was ok and as it turned out, only her pride was hurt.

Adult responsibility means you cannot avoid at least testing these things before your kids potentially risk their lives, so I did at least do that, even at one point lifting my hulking 16 stone frame (hey, it’s mostly all muscle) off the floor for several seconds, working on the premise that if it will support me then it’s unlikely to snap when my kids get on it.

Since we discovered that first swing, I don’t think there’s a day gone by when we haven’t been back at the park first thing after school. We even took a picnic there one day. However, on Monday this week, we called in to find not just one swing, not two or three... or even four. But five.

So, like I said, the swing fairy has been busy throwing ridiculously thin (but surprisingly strong) lengths of blue rope over branches, then attaching (in some cases) not very strong sticks to the end.

Swing Fairy is not without a sense of humour, it seems.