Help keep children's play area open

URGENT work is needed to improve a children's play area in Acle before it has to be closed on health and safety grounds.

Trustees of Acle Recreation Centre need to find �20,000 for a complete makeover of the play area at the Bridewell Lane centre and are appealing to the local community to donate money to help keep open an attraction which has proved popular with pupils at the village's primary school.

Inspectors from charity RoSPA, which promotes safety, visited the site beside the centre in July and deemed the facility to be of “medium risk.”

This grading means there is no immediate danger that children will suffer an accident using the play equipment, but there could be in future unless repairs are carried out.

Centre trustee Nigel Law said the equipment, including a see-saw, swings, climbing frame and roundabouts, was 16-years-old and had become worn out over time, with rust developing in places and moss growing through the special rubber tiles, which act as a cushion if one of the children has a fall.

He added some of the tiles had worn thin and the aim was to completely replace the rubber flooring and refurbish the other rides.

“It is not a situation where we would say don't let people play on it, because it is not that bad, but it has got to the point where the next time RoSPA inspect it, they might say it needs something done about it,”

he said.

Mr Law, who is also a parish councillor, added that replacing the see-saw alone would cost �600 and he has sought the help of the parish council, which will be discussing the matter at

its next meeting on December 21.

Donations can be made to the administrator at the recreation centre and Mr Law at Acle Post Office, which he runs with his wife Brenda.