CHILDREN in Stourbridge have been busy enjoying £72,000 worth of new play equipment which has been installed at Mary Stevens Park.

A brand new assault course, ability swing for wheelchair users and a zip wire have been unveiled at the park as part of a community project led by The Friends of Mary Stevens Park.

Thanks to a successful fundraising campaign by the Friends group, other new equipment is also set to be installed at the popular Norton park this year.

Work will see additional swings put in and a wider range of play experiences offered for babies, toddlers and older children as well as those with physical and sensory impairments.

Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dudley's cabinet member for environmental, highways and street services, said: "Mary Stevens Park is very popular with families from across the borough and beyond and it attracts over one million visitors every year.

"I know everyone has worked really hard over a long period to achieve this and my thanks go to all the volunteers and members of the Friends group who have made it possible.

"The new play equipment will be a welcome addition to our park, a source of great enjoyment for children and families who love spending time at the park, and with the inclusive equipment also being added it will make sure there is something for everyone."

Council bosses hope the project will help to meet visitor demand as the small play area in the park had been proving insufficient for the one million visits made to the park every year.