VILLAGERS are being urged to enjoy themselves this weekend and help a campaign to set up a play park.

Sherburn Oak (Outdoor Action for Kids) is holding a free fun day in the main hall at Sherburn Sports Centre between 2.30pm and 4.30pm tomorrow.

Attractions will include refreshments, a bouncy castle, soft play, face painting, wacky balloons and goodie bags.

Four designs for a play park will be on show and everyone who fills in a survey about the scheme will be entered in a free draw. The prizes will be music vouchers and games.

Oak says there are 1,350 youngsters aged up to 17 in the area and research found that facilities for them were poor.

Claire Lamb, a Liberal Democrat parish councillor and Oak volunteer, said: "This was further reinforced by my independent research - Sherburn Village Survey 2002 - where 69.1 per cent of those who responded wanted after-school activities for children and young people in Sherburn Village."

Oak was formed in May last year to provide a "tots-to-teens'' play park.

The parish council has proposed building the complex next to the sports centre and has offered funding for the scheme.

Councillor Lamb said: "The cost of a similar play park project in Coxhoe was £250,000. Sherburn Oak have so far raised over £2,000 locally, but we need money from major funders for the scheme to go ahead.

"This means proving that people in Sherburn want and need a new play park.

"We have so far carried out surveys in Sherburn Primary School and Belmont Comprehensive School. Now we need the rest of Sherburn to get behind the play park scheme and come along to the free fun event."