IT HAS been a long, hard road, but villagers near Selby are finally celebrating the opening of their new £130,000 playground.

The project at Camblesforth was launched four-and-a-half years ago and has just been officially opened by Selby MP John Grogan.

Parents formed the Camblesforth Playground Association and wrote to companies and charities for donations and grants.

The playground fund was kicked off by local roofer, Bob Lowery, who put £100 into the kitty.

The association then secured £74,000 from the National Lottery, £30,000 from AES Drax, and £12,000 from WREN, the waste recycling organisation, which uses landfill tax credits to fund its grants.

The Selby branches of Lloyds TSB and Halifax Building Society chipped in with a total of £5,000 and Selby Ford handed over £100.

Selby district councillor John Bedworth, who lives at Camblesforth, arranged a peppercorn rent for the lease of the land.

The landscaped playground, in a field off Brigg Lane, now has a five-a-side football pitch, swings for infants and juniors, roundabout, two lots of climbing frames, seats and a picnic area.

Playground Association chairwoman and mother-of-two Sue Walsh said: "It all started early in 1999 when I turned up at a parish council meeting on another issue and got roped in.

"It's been a long, rocky, road. There were some objections to the scheme and delays in securing planning permission.

"But I'm delighted to say the playground is already heaving almost every day and evening, with kids, parents and grandparents. It's proving immensely popular.

"Mayfair Security guards lock the gates at 9pm, and will do the same at 6pm in winter.

"The field is surrounded by houses, with a lot of elderly people, so it's important we lock the gates at a reasonable hour so as not to cause a nuisance."

Updated: 12:37 Wednesday, July 23, 2003