CHILDREN from a Malvern primary school couldn't wait for the fun to start when they attended the official opening of a newly refurbished play area in the town.

Youngsters from Great Malvern Primary School were invited to test out the new play equipment at Dukes Meadow, off Pickersleigh Road, which has cost Malvern Town Council £50,000, after the official opening ceremony by town council chairman Mike Selby.

The council decided to rejunvenate the play area following an inspection by the Child Accident Prevention Trust, which said some of the equipment would need replacing in the coming two or three years as it would not meet the required standards.

The refurbishment work was done by Ledbury company Playworld Systems, which also refurbished the Adam Lee play area at Poolbrook in 2006.

Town council operations manager Charles Porter said: "We have kept some of the swings but Playworld Systems ripped out the rest of the old equipment and installed some more innovative kit than we have had in the past.

"It is a bit more cutting edge and the children will have to use their skills and judgement.

"It is more challenging."

He added: "The children from Great Malvern Primary loved it."