A RUNDOWN village playground, deemed unsafe in an official inspection report, has been transformed thanks to nearly £24,000 of funding.

The facility backs on to Blakedown Primary School and pupils there have been watching the improvements being made, including an "alien" climbing frame and slide.

Ibstock Cory Environmental Trust (ICET) provided almost a third of the £75,000 total project costs for the works after responding to calls from the local community.

Hilary Pritchard, headteacher at the school, said: "The children have been very excited watching the playground being built.

"It is an important meeting place for children in the village at the end of the day and they can't wait to get out and use it."

Work to modernise the park included an adventure playground and play equipment for the very young and people with disabilities.

Trish Penny, of the Friends of Blakedown Park committee, said: "The park has been completely transformed so local children can enjoy being outside and active in a beautiful and safe environment."

She added: "Before we began selecting the equipment for the playground, we asked the local children what they most wanted and the alien slide and climbing frame proved most popular."

Angela Haymonds, ICET secretary, said: "The village playground has become a vibrant environment, in which local children can enjoy themselves and get valuable exercise.

"We are delighted that there is such excitement about playing on the new equipment and I hope it will provide hours of fun for all those who use it."

She added: "This is just one of the many community projects ICET has funded through the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF)."