Families in a Suffolk village will have a new play area closer to home following the opening of a new £20,000 playground.

The closest play area for those living in Barham was two miles away in Claydon before the opening of the Kirby Rise site.

Barham Parish Council secured more than £20,000 in grant funding and land in the middle of the village.

Five pieces of play equipment were bought, comprising of swing with cradle seat and flat seat, seesaw, swing with basket seat, shark springer and a climbing tower with a slide.

The park is aimed at families with younger children.

Members of the council decided to bring a play area to the village, as many of them have young children, and the nearest playground was two miles away from them.

The council is now looking to provide parking for up to 20 vehicles by the play area, with the cost of the works estimated to cost around £30,000.

This would also include installing a low post and rail barrier around the whole perimeter of the green to prevent vehicles from driving across the grass.

Grant funding for the park was secured through a number of organisations and funding pots.

This included more than £11,300 from Section 106 funding, £7,966 from Suez Communities Trust and £2,000 from the locality budgets of Babergh and Mid Suffolk District councillors Tim Passmore and John Whitehead.

Royston Emmerson, communities officer at Babergh & Mid Suffolk District Council, said: “The Community Grants Team are pleased to have supported Barham Parish Council in the creation of a new Children’s Play Area at Kirby Rise.

"This new facility will provide young children in Barham and Claydon with the opportunities to play, socialise and have fun for many years to come."

Marek Gordon, chairman of SUEZ Communities Trust added: "We were delighted to be able to offer funding to Barham Parish Council.”

Fencing was installed around the park by Barham-based Highways Assurance Ltd to ensure those in the park are safely enclosed.

A council spokesman said it meant the area can be locked at night to protect it from vandalism.