Work has started on the construction of a new £500,000 play area for young people between the ages of eight and 13 years old in Hinckley, Leicestershire.

The play area was given the green light after Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC) received funding through the government's Playbuilder Grant Fund to improve facilities across the country. Located in the town's Queens Park, the new play space will include a range of equipment - such as climbing frames, swings and slides - as well as mounds and hollows, logs and tunnels to encourage children to use their imagination in a more challenging environment.

HBBC leader Stuart Bray said: "With the emphasis being on 'natural' play, the new play area will offer something a bit different, which we hope children will find both exciting and challenging." The play area is scheduled to be completed by the end of March.