A CHILDREN'S play area which has played a central role in village life has been given a new lease of life following a £25,000 windfall.

The area outside the Barlow Institute in Edgworth has been fully refurbished and includes more equipment for younger children and more benches.

Villagers asked local councillor Jean Rigby for better play facilities for children after the existing area became run-down.

She spent a year working on improving the area, taking their wishes to Blackburn with Darwen Council and helping to submit a bid to Living Spaces.

A £25,000 grant was allocated, topped up by a contribution from the council.

It took two and a half months to complete and this week Coun Rigby joined local schoolchildren to officially launch the area.

She said: "We listened to the local community. Decisions were made about what to include after talking to residents and local schoolchildren about what they would like.

"We have worked with the council's senior community development officer, Julie Astley, to raise money from a number of different funding sources to create the new facility.

"We worked very hard over 12 months. The old playground was antiquated and didn't conform to regulations.

"We spent the £25,000 on equipment, creating a five-a-side area. We've put in a new play tower, swings and bouncy equipment.

"Our ward doesn't get a lot of money from the council because we're remote and not an area of deprivation so we have to fight for everything. But it has been worth it. It was fantastic to see their faces at the launch -- they were loving it."

Councillor Dorothy Walsh, executive member for culture, leisure and sport, added: "We hope the play area will prove to be a popular attraction."

Coun Rigby also has more fundraising in mind.

She hoped to dedicate a corner of the play area to equipment suitable for disabled children but the project ran out of money before the plans could be finished.

She and others working for the community have now vowed to find the funding for the extra equipment this year.

Plans are also in place to re-furbish the adjacent tennis courts if an application for a separate grant is successful.

Living Spaces is a project aimed at helping people to improve open spaces in their neighbourhood and create valuable places for the whole community to enjoy.

It is led by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Groundwork and GreenSpace.