DAREDEVILS have been racing through a former Second World War airfield after a new £12,000 BMX track opened.

Work to revamp Herschel Crescent Recreation Ground was completed last month after more than two years in the planning.

Part of the delay came after the wrong soil was sourced for the track, leading to those behind the scheme to appeal for soil donors.

The finished track comes as part of an £80,000 project to transform the site, which is sandwiched between Littlemore and Cowley.

David Henwood, city councillor for Cowley and a Littlemore parish councillor, said: “I was excited to see it finished. A lot of people have played a big part in the work that has gone into it.

“It’s still early days but judging by the number of people that are using it, I think it’s a major flagship.”

Proposals to revamp the green space began in 2013 after a consultation was held with Cowley and Littlemore residents to discover what facilities they wanted in the area.

Plans to build the BMX track, which will be used for competitions, stalled after soil from the Leys Pool and Leisure Centre building work proved unsuitable last August.

But after an appeal in the Oxford Mail, councillors bought soil from a specialist company.

Up to 1,000 cubic metres of soil with a high clay content was needed to create the track, which is 70 metres long and 30 metres wide.

A team from environmental charity Groundwork South has now completed transforming the recreation ground in January, with celebrations held on May 23 officially opening the site after the first phase of work finished.

Bike lovers from across the city have been flaunting their flips and tricks along the humps and bumps of the track since its opening.

Other additions to the former airfield site include toddlers’ equipment within a fenced space, as well as a zipwire, agility trail and a basketball hoop.

Mr Henwood said Littlemore and Cowley families have already come forward to support the new play paradise, offering to organise litter-picks on the site and get involved with maintaining the grounds.

He added: “We are not saying that the work that we did in the park will reduce crime but we think it contributes towards it. Having people providing somewhere for people to play that is safe is really important in developing communities and helping young children.”

Littlemore parish Councillors, along with city and county councillors, secured more than £80,000 of cash to install the custom-made BMX track along with the new playground facilities. Cash was awarded by not-for-profit organisation Wren, Littlemore’s Cardinal House development, Littlemore Parish Council, councilor ward budgets and the Big Society budget, which raised about £82,000.

Mr Henwood said he hoped 400 trees – which will be planted to create a runway through the site to link Cowley and Littlemore – would be in place by the autumn.