A RUNDOWN play area at the heart of a west Oxfordshire village has won a £20,000 grant.

The play area, in Station Road, Shipton-under-Wychwood, will get a £44,500 overhaul as soon as fundraising is complete.

The parish council has already pledged £11,000 to the project, and asked West Oxfordshire District Council for help.

This week they discovered their grant application had landed £20,000 from the district council.

Parish councillor Malcolm Cochrane said he was delighted the grant had been approved.

He said: “It has taken quite a long time to get here.

“We have been through dozens and dozens of catalogues to try to decide what we want to buy.

“It’s really invigorating to know that a big chunk of the money is there. The equipment that we have was good at one stage, but nothing lasts forever.

“We want to bring in new equipment that will be really popular for children of all ages so that as many people as possible can get some use out of it. “ Hilary Biles, the district council’s cabinet member for leisure tourism and young people, said she was pleased the authority had been able to help with funding.

She added: “ I know how much work has gone into researching the new equipment.

“Local residents and the parish council have done a sterling job to get this project this far.”

Mr Cochrane said he hoped the remaining money would be raised by the village’s popular summer fete on Saturday, August 29.

He said: “As a village we have been very good at fundraising, having already raised £1,000 from a charity dance we held.

“We always have a good fete and we hope that if people know what the money will be going towards, then we will be able to get a good crowd down.

“I’m also hoping to be able to put on a display of some of the equipment that we’re looking at buying for the play area, so it will give people the chance to see it for themselves.”

witney@oxfordmail.co.uk