PROGRESS is today well under way on the creation of a new play area for the thousands of children who stay at Ipswich Hospital every year.A new surface is being poured and within the next few weeks an array of play equipment will be installed, transforming the tired play area in between the children's wards.

PROGRESS is today well under way on the creation of a new play area for the thousands of children who stay at Ipswich Hospital every year.

A new surface is being poured and within the next few weeks an array of play equipment will be installed, transforming the tired play area in between the children's wards.

The £30,000 refurbishment is thanks to generous Evening Star readers who pulled out all the stops to give young patients a very special present during our Christmas appeal called Let Them Play.

Jeff Calver, from the hospital's estates and facilities department, said: “We had hoped to start laying the new surface some weeks ago but it wasn't possible because of the unusually hot weather we'd been having.

“We've done a lot of the preparatory work though and everything is now in place for the contractors to start pouring the surface.”

A small sensory garden has already been created in one corner of the play area and a new Jess the cat rocking toy has been installed.

Mr Calver said: “Once the surface has been laid we will be putting in a new slide, a basket ball net and goal posts ,and painting a hop-scotch design and other patterns on the floor.”

It will be the first-time the play area has been re-surfaced since 1998 and is desperately needed as years of use by thousands of tiny feet have hardened up the ground.

Weblink: www.ipswichhospital.org.uk