A COMMUNITY mission to provide a major overhaul for a village park in Burnley has reached a critical point, according to campaigners.

Possible work to renovate Worsthorne Park, at the corner of Brownside Road and Halstead Street, has seen £12,000 allocated in kind by Burnley Council and a further £5,000 promised by the Spence family, who donated the land for the original playground.

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Borough councillors Andrew Newhouse, Cosima Towneley and David Heginbotham have committed £7,500 from their council ward improvement fund and a further £3,000 has been set aside by Worsthorne-with-Hurstwood Parish Council.

And now with grant applications being made to the Veolia Environmental Fund and Big Lottery, it is hoped the Worsthorne Improvement Park Project is on the road to its £43,000 target.

Cllr Newhouse said: “The park has been in a state of disrepair and we have had complaints from parents. The trees were overhanging and it was quite dark. Residents have got together now and launched a campaign for improvements.

“This is one of those areas, as councillors, where we can give something back. The project has its own Facebook page and things are really moving along.”

Cllr Pauline Frost-Hardwick, chairman of Worsthorne Parish Council, added: “The playground was originally put together by the Spence family and it is really great that they have promised support.

“Much of the work has been driven by parents and I have been involved with making the grant applications. We should expect to hear back from Veolia around June or July and we are also in the process of applying to the Big Lottery Fund.”

If the funding bids prove successful then new equipment and upgrades to the play park, situated next to the village primary school, could begin next winter.

Plans are being drawn up for several fundraising activities, with organisers already in contact with the Crooked Billet pub to host a treasure hunt.