Children can enjoy nearly two extra hours of fun at an Oxford playground which is opening later but the cash-strapped amenity needs permanent funding to carry on.

South Oxford adventure playground in Whitehouse Road, which usually opens from 10am to 4pm, is now open until 5.45pm.

Jill McCleery, who runs the initiative with her husband Robert, said: "We piloted the later hours last autumn and so far it has proved really popular. It's fantastic.

"Ideally I would like to find enough money to open later from Easter to half-term in autumn, and for that we need about £5,000."

The free facility is financed with community and Oxford City Council grants, but this is not enough to secure its future, and Mrs McCleery is calling on the city council to stump up the extra cash.

She said: "I really want the city council to recognise what we are doing and fund us for good. I would like some credit for providing something unique in the city."

The popular playground attracted 800 children last year, she added.

Playground treasurer Mr McCleery said: "It is much easier to raise money for new initiatives than to get money to keep something like this from moving on."

Last November, the playground received a £40,000 cash boost for new equip- ment, which included a large climbing tower, an aerial runway, scrambling nets, swings and wooden climbing frames.

Bob Price, city councillor for Hinksey Park, said: "The benefits for children and parents of after-school opening have been tremendous.

"I hope that the council will be able to fund it through the area committee or the new play schemes budget that Labour's budget for 2006/7 has created."

Oxford City Council is currently reviewing the way it supports voluntary and community groups with grants, said spokesman Louisa Dean.

She added: "We have supported this scheme for a number of years and we hope to support them in the future."