A £95,000 play park has made a dream come true for a small community.

The Middlewood Green Action Group, consisting of residents and councillors from St Helen Auckland, near Bishop Auckland, has worked for five years to create a playing facility for the youngsters in the village.

After years of consultation with the young people in the community, the action group produced a plan to install a skate park and ball court with floodlighting.

The development will give children an opportunity to enjoy playing five-a-side football and basketball, and practise their skills on the stunt ramps in the skate park.

Yesterday, Councillor Margaret Douthwaite, chairwoman of Wear Valley District Council and a member of the action group, opened the park.

She said: "A tremendous amount of hard work has been put into this and it has been worth it. The children have worked really hard on this and everything has been done after consulting with them."

Coun Douthwaite thanked resident Stephen Morley for his work in developing the project.

She said: "Stephen was one of the founder members and worked very hard on this until his health caught up with him and he had to take a back seat."

The park was unveiled just days after Wear Valley District Council revealed it was closing 30 play areas.

Coun Douthwaite said: "This park is the future. Big play areas like this are easier to maintain than small ones. Children no longer want a couple of swings to sit on, they want activities."

After the opening ceremony, youngsters enjoyed an afternoon of sporting activities as they tested the new facilities.

The skate park and ball court form the third phase of a project created in partnership with Groundwork West Durham.

Project manager Karen Emerson said: "This was just a piece of green land and the residents have worked hard to get here. The first phase was the installation of a toddlers' play area in 1999."

Funding came from Wear Valley District Council and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

Action group chairman Councillor Sonny Douthwaite said: "This is just the beginning for us. We intend to carry on and are looking to build a youth shelter next."