A NEW play area has been officially opened after members of the community came together to improve the local schools play facilities and benefit one very special pupil.

Children from Barton Church of England Primary School were thrilled to return to school after the summer to discover that the rough and uneven outside area had been transformed into a fully equipped area for play and learning.

Over the summer holidays the school staff had cleared the site of an old shed and transformed the whole area with help from the Carillion Morgan Sindall Joint Venture and their supply chain partners Aggregate Industries, who are undertaking works for Highways England on the A1 Leeming to Barton Improvement Scheme.

One pupil in particular will benefit from the transformation. Archie Johnson was born with Larsons Syndrome and has already had thirty-five operations to improve his mobility. Archie uses a wheelchair and can walk on his knees for short periods but the old outdoor area was too painful and hazardous for him to access on his own.