WORK has started on a £300,000 children’s play area in North Yorkshire funded by the National Lottery.

The scheme will see 26 pieces of play equipment fitted at Pannett Park, in Whitby, in the refit to be on a nautical theme.

Councillor Steve Smith, mayor Whitby, and Walter Turner, the chairman of the Friends of Pannett Park, turned the first sod last week. (29 apr) Work on the play area, just one part of an ambitious £1.39m scheme to re-develop the park, is set to be done by August.

The Big Lottery Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund supported scheme will see a South Seas Garden created a terrace built at the Whitby Museum.

Work will also take place on the Lily Pool near the Bagdale entrance to the park.

Robert Everiss, Scarborough Borough Council's Pannett Park project officer said: "The start of work at Pannett Park this week is a real milestone towards the restoration of it to its former glory.

"When completed the Pannett Park play area will be the most up to date in the whole borough."

Fiona Spiers, head of Heritage Lottery Fund in Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "This park holds a special place in the region's history and we look forward to the time when the park is restored to its former glory."