PUPILS from Westbury Leigh Primary School were put in a spin when they tried and tested the new play equipment at Becks Mill play area when it was reopened on Thursday (October 12) morning.

The play area in Westbury Leigh which was originally opened in 2006, has undergone a £28,000 revamp with the latest new play equipment including a spinning wok, train station, and talking tubes which carry soundwaves underground. This equipment was selected after a consultation with Westbury residents, and installed by playground specialists Proludic.

The project was funded by a Section 106 grant which can be sought from developers towards the costs of providing community and social infrastructure.

Mayor of Westbury Gordon King said: “I think children learn through playing, and also through playing they learn, so it is absolutely vital in life through childhood.

“I hope that this newly refurbished park will encourage children to play, learn and live life to the full.

Town Clerk, Deborah Urch said: “I am delighted with how the park has turned out. We have been working with the town council to make the project happen, and all the new equipment has been chosen by the residents in consultations meetings.

“I think it’s really important for children aged up to 11-years-old have a nice playing area, and the football field next to it means older children and teenagers also have somewhere to be active.

“My favourite part of the park is the talking tubes, they are really cool and a little bit different.”

In the 1950s, Becks Mill itself was the Boulton glove factory and employed about 500 people.