A FORMER pit village's new playground has received a £92,650 boost from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust Partnership.

The money will be ploughed into Kids Zone at Coxhoe, which was set up to keep youngsters of all ages amused.

It will pay for a CCTV system linked to the nearby Coxhoe Leisure Centre, an aerial runway and enterpriser unit for older children, and help with running costs over the next five years.

The playground has been developed over two years by the Coxhoe Community Part-nership, which has raised more than £228,582.

Barbara Hepplewhite, of the partnership, said: "There was a playground owned by Durham City Council on the site. But it was overgrown, the equipment was old and the council couldn't afford to replace it.''

Now the new play area is a popular haven for toddlers to teenagers. She said: "Families from surrounding villages visit the area because there is nothing similar in their communities.

"We are hoping more from the surrounding villages will come to Coxhoe because Kids Zone is for them as well as the people of Coxhoe.''

As well as play equipment, there are facilities including a picnic area and basketball court. The partnership hopes to raise the money for five-a-side football goals.