AFTER a long wait the people of Antrobus finally have a new children's play area in the centre of the village.

The jubilee playground was officially opened on Thursday, December 12.

During the past two years, the parish council and residents have been working with Groundwork Macclesfield and Vale Royal to get a new play area installed on land by the village hall.

A lot of hard work by local people meant that enough funds were raised to make this happen.

More than £45,000 has been raised with funding coming from Barclays SiteSavers, Landfill Tax credits of Waste Recycling Group PLC, the Countryside Agency Vital Villages scheme, Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund, Groundwork and Vale Royal Borough Council.

Noel Gallagher, a contractor who lives locally, also mucked in by generously agreeing to do much of the ground preparation and the tarmac surfacing for free.

Sean Dillon, from Groundwork Macclesfield and Vale Royal, which is managing the project, said: "The play area sub-committee in Antrobus has worked incredibly hard in ensuring that this project did happen.

"Their efforts have been rewarded and the village now has a fantastic new facility to be proud of.

"In the spring, we hope to do some planting around the outside of the play area which should be the icing on the cake."

Sub-committee member and mum Inge Cosgrove said "It's great to finally have the play area installed in the village.

"It has been a lot of hard work to get this far but it was important for us to get the play area installed in the jubilee year."

vkandel@guardiangrp.co.uk