CHILDREN are celebrating after their parish was given more than £100,000 to revamp a rusting playground.

Earlier this year, Pinnocks Way playground and recreation area in Dean Court, Cumnor, was handed £46,000 after it was one of 11 successful applicants in Oxfordshire to win £500,000 of funding from the Government’s £235m Playbuilder scheme.

But now Cumnor Parish Council has won a further £55,500 to turn the run-down playground into a thriving park and activity area.

Children on the estate currently only have a broken seesaw and two rusting climbing frames to use. Residents hope the new equipment will help to cut vandalism and antisocial behaviour in the area.

A £50,000 cash injection comes from the Waste Recycling Environmental (Wren) initiative and £5,500 from the Vale of White Horse District Council. Councillors want local children to tell them what play equipment they would like in the enlarged park.

Judy Roberts, the Vale district councillor for Appleton and Cumnor, said: “We are delighted to get the money.

“We were hoping that we would get some money from Wren but to be offered the whole amount was unbelievable.

“It now means that we can create a park that has exciting equipment for all ages. A new play area is very much needed.

“There is some antisocial behaviour in the area because there’s nothing for the kids to do apart from hang around, especially the older ones.

“The hope is we can get some exciting and adventurous equipment which challenges them so the lads can go up there and let off some steam and go home tired.”

It is hoped contractors can begin ripping out the old play equipment by the end of the month, once the consultation has been completed.

Some of the equipment being suggested for the new area include a Miram skate pole, a set of monkey bars, a wobble board, a small trampoline and a toddlers’ area featuring swings, roundabouts and a sandpit.

The council has also applied for £1,000 to erect three vandal-resistant lights on the back of Dean Court Social Club so the playground can continue to be used by children at night.

If all goes to plan, the project should be finished by March.

Bradley Paley, 17, of Pinnocks Way said: “It will be good for a lot of the kids here and it will keep them out of trouble.

“They haven’t got much round here. They should put in some locks or CCTV to make sure the equipment doesn’t get vandalised.”

To comment on the play park, email Cllr Roberts at j-m-a-a-rob@supanet.com