A GROUP behind plans to build a play park for village youngsters hopes work will start in the next few months.

Sherburn Outdoor Activities for Kids (Oak) hopes to raise £130,000 to build a complex next to the Durham City Council-run leisure centre in the village.

The land has been fenced off and closed-circuit television cameras installed. The group hopes that the first elements of the scheme could be operating this year if funding comes through.

Oak chairman Stuart Walton said: "We filled in funding applications over Christmas and we have had offers of funding of up to £27,000 from five different agencies who have said we can have it as soon as the work starts.

"We are in the process of putting in another funding bid of £25,000 and if we got that we would be able to create the outdoor creche and junior play area.

"Hopefully, this will be done in the spring and summer and when we have completed the creche and junior play area we will be able to look at the senior facilities.''

Mr Walton said the group was "sorting out'' leases for the land and planning permission for the project.

The outdoor creche will be for under-fives and will have access from the creche inside the leisure centre. It will feature equipment such as a multi-play unit.

The junior play area will be aimed at five to 13-year-olds, and will be equipped with seesaws, slides, spiral wheels, swings and a rotor-web climbing roundabout.

The group was formed two years ago and has so far raised £6,000 with various events.

The next event will be a coffee morning a week on Saturday, in the community centre, starting at 9.30am.