Children's charity Kids Company is offering to step in to protect Wandsworth's threatened adventure playgrounds it emerged today.

The council is due to decide the fate of the playgrounds tonight and it is understood a spokesperson for the charity is hoping to make a presentation to its education and children's services overview and scrutiny committee before the final decision is taken.

A leaked email addressed to the council written on behalf of its high-profile chief executive Camila Batmanghelidjh said: "Kids Company, on behalf of parents and children who use the three playgrounds would like to present to the scrutiny committee the possibility of providing support for all three in order to maintain staff and the structure where appropriate.

"We have confirmation from a number of business leaders and high profile individuals that they will be supporting Kids Company in generating a Wandsworth-specific pot of money in order to facilitate Kids Company in providing a bespoke provision based on the requirements of parents, children and young people who use the playgrounds."

Earlier this year, Wandsworth Council said it could make a saving of about £147,000 a year if it got rid of play staff and replaced play equipment in Battersea Park, Kimber Road and York Gardens.

In a statement released on the council website today Councillor Kathy Tracey said: "Our aim is to carry on providing an exciting and challenging adventure playground for youngsters. We will be doing this at a time when many other local authorities are actually closing theirs down.

"Keeping the playground in Battersea Park open and keeping it free to use are the two outcomes our residents told us they wanted. We have listened carefully to their views and fully addressed both points."

A demonstration against the council's plans is being held outside the town hall at 6.30pm organised by Wandsworth Against Cuts and angry parents.

A petition containing about 2,000 signatures against the decision has been handed to the council.