By Julie Morgan

Last updated 16:00, Wednesday, 07 May 2008

A HENSINGHAM play park’s £170,000 makeover will be complete this summer.

Hensingham Community Volunteers, who are leading the revamp, received a £20,000 donation from Copeland Homes for the new play area.

John Sharpe, chairman of the volunteers group, said the extra boost of money means they can start work on the play area in June, and hope to have it complete within three weeks. The site is bounded by Sneckyeat Road, Overend Road and Richmond Hill Road.

The waste ground, which has been plagued by anti-social behaviour, will become a play area, and have a nature-study area, fencing and footpaths.

Mr Sharpe said the park will be an area for youths, who have nowhere to go at the moment.

He said: “Hensingham has got nothing for the youths. This community project is badly needed for Hensingham. It is completely focused on the primary school.

“We hope to start work on the play area in mid-June. At the same time they will start fencing Overend Road and put in suitable barriers.

“The play area will be for children up to 14 years.

“We already have planning permission.

“The plans will involve securing the site, putting barriers around it so cars and people on quad bikes can’t get onto the land.

“We are also putting more suitable footpaths in.

“There are some already in but there are more to go.” They are also looking at improving street lighting and landscaping.

Phase two, for which they still need to secure funding, l involves sports facilities for older children including a football pitch, BMX track and a skate board park.