A village is working to raise £100,000 to provide a play area for its children after it was dealt a funding blow.

Appleton was to receive a grant of £47,000 from the Department of Education play builder programme – but the scheme was frozen in July.

However, the funding question mark has not dampened the village’s spirit or its determination.

On Sunday, residents turned out for an Appleton Olympics playground fundraiser – complete with welly wanging, space hopper racing and a rounders tournament.

A hotly contested pub tug-o-war, between The Plough in Appleton and rivals The Eight Bells in Eaton, was won by the Appleton regulars.

The Appleton with Eaton Playground with Recreation Area Group was set up a year ago to head the drive for new facilities.

Children have already helped draw up designs for the play area which will have equipment for younger children, an area for older ones to meet friends and possibly a village vegetable plot, seating and even a barbecue pitch for community use.

The group has earmarked a site for the equipment on a field in Badswell Lane it would lease from a farmer.

Group member and mum of three Becky Bradbrook said: “Sunday was really brilliant. Lots of people turned out from the village and the help we had from volunteers was amazing.”

She said the idea of a play area had been widely supported by families in a village questionnaire that asked what facilities people wanted.

She said although the village hall provided a good indoor space there were no outdoor play facilities.

Mrs Bradbrook said: “We are trying to provide somewhere for mums to walk to without using a car and somewhere for teenagers to meet and chat with friends.”

Sovereign Vale Housing Association has donated £5,000 and the Appleton community shop £1,000.