A new £80,000 play area has been opened in Portavogie, Co Down.

Climbers, slides, seesaws, a variety of swings and other equipment, all with a nautical theme, were installed at the new site in the village's Anchor Car Park.

The facility is the first to be completed under Ards Borough Council's drive to revamp the area's play parks in the next year, at a total cost of close to £1m.

The Portavogie project was funded through money obtained from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's Fishing Villages Taskforce Scheme, and forms part of an overall scheme involving development of the Northern promenade and new business units in Princess Anne Road.

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Londonderry Park in Newtownards is to become a 'signature' playground, containing a large scale play park with completely new equipment and a dedicated ball game area.

A further seven substantial play areas, of which the new Portavogie facility is one, are to be created, while another 8 smaller, existing sites are earmarked for refurbishment to modern standards.

Alderman Margaret Craig, Chairman of the Council's Leisure Services Sub-Committee welcomed the completion of the first of the new play areas.

"It has the most up-to-date equipment for children aged anywhere between one and 12 to enjoy and is a great addition to the village's facilities," she said.

Ards council's decision to embark on a programme of creating new play facilities and updating existing sites, followed a strategic assessment of existing play provision, carried out on its behalf by PlayBoard, Northern Ireland's play charity.

The play area was designed, supplied and installed by local company, Play and Leisure Services Ltd from Greyabbey, one of the longest established playground companies in Ireland with over 20 years experience in the 'play' industry.

(PR/BMcC)