A DILAPIDATED playground in the heart of Didcot will be given a new lease of life after the town council agreed to dip into its reserves to fund a revamp.

On Monday night during a meeting of Didcot Town Council it was decided that £25,373.86 will be put aside to improve the facilities at Marsh Rec, off Fleet Way.

Council leader Bill Service said he was delighted there was room in the budget to accommodate the funds and said that green spaces 'were an invaluable part of the town.'

He added: "If you go to any of the parks in Didcot outside of school hours, you will just see them completely full, which is a wonderful thing to see.

"It is our duty as the town council to continue to invest and maintain those spaces for people to enjoy.

"And we have set aside this money to ensure we are able to deliver on our responsibility and have a great new space for residents.

"It is a good use of public money."

A date has yet to be set for when the refurbishment and subsequent opening will happen.

The reserve money will be combined with a grant of around £50,000 the council has already received from WREN, a not-for-profit business which gives grants to community projects.

Joe Newby, WREN’s grant manager for Oxfordshire, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the project and pleased our funding will provide such a fantastic facility for children and young families across Didcot."

When news of the grant was first announced last December the town council said the play area would be completely refurbished with a new cradle, flat swings and a group swing being installed.

There are also plans for new junior and older children's equipment with a separate toddler area, which includes a spinner and seesaw.

Sensory talk tubes and an inclusive roundabout – which can be used by children in wheelchairs – will also be part of the new facilities and the goals in the old games court will be replaced.

A zip wire is set to be the big new addition to the play area.

WREN has also previously given the town council a grant of £50,000 to help pay for the majority of the refurbishment Loyd Rec elsewhere in the town.

Speaking after Monday's meeting Mr Service added: "As we saw with the Didcot garden town masterplan that was released earlier this year and the subsequent Ladygrove Park campaign, green spaces and play parks are extremely important for the people of Didcot.

"During the meeting we also decided that I would sign the forward of the Didcot Garden Town consultation.

"This means that the town council is agreeing to this consultation and it is good that we have finally been considered as a major player in these on going conversations.

"We have not made any decisions, however with regards to our position on the content of the plan but we appreciate being recognised as consultees this time round."

The consultation, which will be published on Monday, June 19, will contain details on schemes that will form part of the future development of Didcot.

Dr Jo Nash, chairwoman of the town council's environment committee, said the transformation of facilities will 'make a huge difference to the lives of people living in the area.'

She added: "This project will provide a real boost to the families of Didcot.

"It’s fantastic that WREN has awarded us this money and we’re really looking forward to our new play area taking shape over the next few months."

Councillors also agreed to earmark a further £9,000 as a town fayre budget.

Following the success of the Queen's Birthday Fayre celebrations last summer, the council want to ensure there will be another celebratory event in the town.

The funding will be available to be applied for this autumn, ahead of the fayre in the summer of 2018.