A FLAGSHIP play park that opened less than two years ago will close unless an extra £16,000 can be found.

An insurance clause means that the play area in Delves Lane, near Consett, County Durham, can only be used if a warden is present. With the £145,000 park open every day of the week, this will set the owners back by more than £16,000 a year.

The cash-strapped community association that runs the area has found it impossible to get grant aid to pay for staff.

Tony Westgarth, association chairman, said: "We can create enough money for maintenance purposes, but this sort of revenue is a different proposition.

"A lot of grant-making bodies will supply money for capital works like building a park, but not for paying staff.

"Unless we can get funding from somewhere, there is no way we can do it."

The problem lies with the fact that the park is owned by a small community group, rather than the local authority. The only way insurance companies would offer public liability insurance for the area was if the association agreed to have permanent wardens, or park supervisors.

The group has until Christmas to come up with the money for the staff, or the park gates will be locked.

The park was built after a successful bid for £145,000 to the National Lottery and has been a huge hit. It is considered one of the best facilities in County Durham and has been shortlisted this year for a coveted Green Flag award, presented to the top play areas in Britain.

The community association has more than 1,200 people on its books who each pay a small annual fee to use the area, from toddlers to football teams. Delves Lane falls in the top ten per cent of the most deprived areas in England and Mr Westgarth said raising subscription fees would exclude some residents.

"If we raised prices, we would be criticised for making it no longer affordable," he said. "It is a Catch 22 situation."

The group is launching a fundraising drive to save the park, starting with a weekly letter draw beginning on September 3.

Anyone wanting to take part should contact the community association at Delves Lane Village Hall.

"Everything we have achieved so far, we have done ourselves," said Mr Westgarth. "We will carry on and do it again.