NEW play equipment will soon be installed in Studley with a little help from a recently awarded grant.

The parish council has been planning for some time to replace the old play area on the recreation ground off High Street

Now a £3,000 grant from the Arden Project will help pay part of the cost thanks to the efforts of a village resident who applied on the off-chance.

Elizabeth Thorpe, a tenant of South Warwickshire Housing Association in Redditch Road, applied through the association to the Arden Project with the help of Joyce Dyer.

Ms Thorpe and her son Mark Pittaway, who is a new village parish councillor, had been campaigning for some time for new equipment and even collected a 345-name petition last year.

And she was delighted to hear she had been successful.

Parish council clerk Dot Mitchell said the grant was good news and would help with the overall £43,000 cost of the project.

Plans have already been drawn up and will include new multi-purpose equipment, swings, roundabout and seating.

She said the equipment would hopefully be installed this summer.