A DEPRIVED community is celebrating after residents dug deep to save their award-winning play area from closure - but its long-term future remains in doubt.

The £145,000 park and floodlit, all-weather sports pitch at Delves Lane, near Consett, was set to close at the end of December, because of a £16,000 shortfall in funding.

The park was the only play area in the region to win a coveted Green Pennant in 2002. The national award is given for providing a safe and clean playing environment for children.

The volunteers who run the site appealed to residents for the cash. And, despite Delves Lane being in the top ten per cent most economically deprived areas in England, its villagers still managed to raise more than £8,000 - enough money to earn the park a stay of execution.

Tony Westgarth, chairman of the community association that manages the park, said: "Since starting the appeal in September 2002, we have raised £8,387, therefore ensuring the play area will remain open until at least July 2003.

"The appeal has inspired the residents of Delves Lane and surrounding villages to unite to save this worthwhile community resource."

Donations came in from the Willan Trust, Sir James Knott and the Children's Foundation. Villagers did the rest themselves, organising fundraising events including a six-mile sponsored walk, a tuck shop, and a broth and bingo night. Mr Westgarth also ran a weekly prize letter draw.

He said the long term future of the site was still in doubt. Because of an insurance clause, youngsters can only use the play area if they are supervised by a warden, which costs £16,000 a year. But while there is plenty of cash around for capital projects, the association has struggled to find revenue funding from Government or local authorities.

Mr Westgarth said: "Being a voluntary organisation, our main problem is finding revenue funding. We have sent letters and got letters back from Tony Blair's office, John Prescott's office and David Blunkett's office, all pointing us in a different direction.

"Tony McNulty, the Environment Minister, wrote to tell me that there was funding available for green spaces from my local council. But I have a letter here from Derwentside District Council saying there isn't any.

"We don't want the Crown Jewels. All we want is a bit of the cash that is out there."