A PLEA for a children's playground at Colletts Green received a sympathetic hearing from Powick parish councillors this week.

But they could make no promises, as the land in question did not belong to the parish council.

Listening to the discussion was 13-year-old Katie Nichols, who had written to say that there was nothing for children to do on the Colletts Green estate.

"We get told off for climbing trees, because people think we are going to break them," she wrote.

"Could you build us a park?"

Other youngsters from the estate had signed a similar letter from Tom Nichol asking for a playground like the one at Byrons Wood and suggesting that the car park would be a suitable place "because not many people use it."

Katie's mother, Sue Nichols, said there were about 30 children, aged from five to 13, with nowhere to go.

Powick Playing Field was too far away and Byrons Wood was on the other side of the busy A449.

Another resident, Jim Forbes, said elderly people living around the village green were concerned about talk of a play area.

"No one gets upset about children playing there, but there does come a time when they get too old and ought to move down to the playing field," he said.

Members agreed to look into the question of land ownership and canvass local opinion on the need for a play area over the next few months.