DAVID Cameron has officially opened a long-awaited children’s playground near Witney.

The playground was originally launched by Stanton Harcourt Action for Play Equipment (SHAPE) two and a half years ago after a decade-long demand from families in the village.

Ten years on, there is now one play area completed on the Jubilee Field site and another soon to be installed on Witney Leys to cater to the 340 youths in the area.

The Prime Minister and Witney MP said: “The new playground is tribute to what communities can achieve when they pull together.

“The villagers of Stanton Harcourt and Sutton have built a great new area and had lots of fun.”

SHAPE consists of only three committee members – two mothers and a grandmother.

Along with a youth committee formed to help with the design and fundraising, they have raised just over £100,000 to enable the development of the play areas.

The completed Jubilee Field area has been built on land purchased by the parish council some years ago and has been designed as an area for older children.

Village teenagers were consulted on the equipment chosen.

Claire Rich, who chaired the project, said: “The project has been a real community endeavour and could not have been achieved without the support and involvement of many people in the village.”

The cost of Jubilee Field was largely funded by landfill tax distributor Wren, with a contribution from Oxfordshire County Council.