VILLAGERS celebrated the opening of a new playground at the weekend. The playground, which has been funded jointly by North Herts District Council and private donations, was opened at a ceremony on Sunday. Christine Jutsum, clerk of Therfield Parish Counc

VILLAGERS celebrated the opening of a new playground at the weekend.

The playground, which has been funded jointly by North Herts District Council and private donations, was opened at a ceremony on Sunday.

Christine Jutsum, clerk of Therfield Parish Council, said: "Therfield has had no play equipment for the last seven years, and parish council chairman Robert Law has spent the last three years working with great determination, to get this much needed facility for the village."

Mr Law began the opening ceremony with a short history of the project, and the ribbon was cut by youngsters Henry and Maddie King, who are the children of John King, the man who has leased the land on which the playground is built to the parish council in exchange for a peppercorn rent.

They were assisted by their grandmother Ann King, whose late husband David was a former chairman of the parish council.

The new play area features swings, climbing equipment, and safety flooring, and North Herts District Council contributed �28,552 from its Parish Amenity Capital Improvement (PACIF) grant scheme, which is targeted specifically at upgrading rural community facilities as well as parish and village halls.

Peter Underwood, community facilities manager at the district council, said: "We are committed to ensuring our rural residents have access to high quality facilities and the PACIF grants help us to do that.

"This kind of project is an excellent example of the work we are doing throughout the district for people of all ages and shows what can be done when we work in partnership with parish councils.