CHILDREN in Frenchay who have long been without any play facilities are a hop and a skip closer to having their own dedicated playground.

Parents in the village have long been campaigning for an area where their children can play safely and use facilities enjoyed by most other youngsters in South Gloucestershire.

The Gazette reported in July 2003 how parents had been praised by Winterbourne parish councillors for their professionalism after questioning 500 Frenchay residents about the project.

The parents told a council meeting that they owed it to their children to fight for a play area.

After two years campaigning, their hard work finally looked as though it would pay off this week as the council set money aside in its annual budget to start the expensive project.

Councillors agreed to raise the parish precept by an extra £5,000 to allow for the playground, although the final price of the park will cost parishioners £45,000.

The decision was made at Monday night's parish council meeting, despite recommendations not to budget for the play area because the future of Frenchay Hospital, where the playground is expected to be built, is in doubt.

Chairman of the finance and general purposes committee, Cllr Richard Climmer, said: "The uncertainty of future events at Frenchay Hospital makes it difficult to recommend the building of a children's playground on hospital land."

North Bristol NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, was reported to be fully behind the project earmarked for construction next to the tennis courts near the trust's headquarters.

Frenchay ward councillor David Ellis said that because the council had decided to support the initiative in 2003, a change of opinion was not acceptable.

He added: "Although a site has never been agreed, I got the impression there was a great deal of support from this council for the play area.

"If we don't support it now, it seems to me we will never ever again be in a position to provide for the youngsters of our parish."

Cllr Eurof (CORR) Lewis added: "Out credibility as an organisation that knows where it is going is at stake.

"We led everyone to believe we were going to do this - not doing it is the only option we cannot do."

The money allocated for the play area in the budget will pay for interest on a much bigger loan, which the council intends to take out to pay for the project.

Mum-of-three children under six Louise Sherman, who is spearheading the campaign along with mum-of-two Sally Rawles, and Kirsty Cepek,who also has two children, said the funding was great news.

She told the Gazette: "It sounds very positive. The money is excellent." The play area will be specifically for under tens and will cater for the 118 youngsters currently living in Frenchay.

Mrs Sherman added: "We are getting there. We are still working on it and have been getting different plans from different companies."