A Darlington estate is to get a £30,000 play park for young children after years of having no facilities.

Residents of Lascelles Park say the play area for youngsters aged up to nine, due to open next to the Lascelles pub, in Fenby Avenue, before summer, is a fresh start for the estate.

Lynn Tailford, former treasurer of Lascelles Park Residents' Association, said a play area that used to be on the estate was removed and the equipment put in Eastbourne Park.

"We were without anything for children and it was the annoyance of that that made us go forward and try to get this facility," she said.

"I think it will make a difference in as much as the children on Lascelles Park have got nothing else.

"It's going to be somewhere out in the open which hopefully won't get too vandalised. It is a fresh start for us."

Association chairman Joe Prettyman said residents had worked hard to secure funding for the play area, which is opposite St John's Primary School. "It's for the children - it's their park," he said. "We raised the money for them and we want them to use it and look after it."

The Government's Single Programme Funding has provided £20,000 and Darlington Borough Council £10,000.

Lascelles ward councillor Jackie Maddison said: "I think that the play area is a positive sign of the way that the residents' association is now working together for the good of the estate."

Residents had hoped to get a closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) for the play park. But council spokesman said last night: "CCTV for any residential areas isn't on the programme for this year. We are looking at parks and open spaces."