A MUM is fighting a lone campaign to give children somewhere to play.

Dee Gourlay, of Alder Drive, Hoghton, says youngsters have just one swing and a slide to play on at the village's only play area.

Now she faces a three year wait for more equipment, as South Ribble's parks are being upgraded as part of a council plan.

But Dee refuses to wait that long, and is calling on locals to help out, and pay for their own equipment.

Dee, 34, said: "The summer is coming and there are lots of children round here and they've nothing to do. The playgroup will be shut and the schools will be closed. There's nothing for them to do."

So Dee has taken the matter into her own hands. She hopes to raise enough interest, and cash, to kit out the existing play area -- off Gregson Lane -- while they wait for a new one to be built.

Dee, who has two small children, Caitlin, one, and Kieran, two, says by the time Hoghton has a new play area they would be nearly six.

So her dream is to transform the area into an adventure playground and a kickabout area.

But she can't do it without help from local parents and children, and has handed out about 150 leaflets.

She said: "I am not sure if I can do anything. There's a baby's swing and a slide and that's it. The teenagers are too old for a play area and too young for the pub.

"If we had a kick about area where the girls could sit and the boys could play football, we could get them involved in arranging it right from the start.

"It would be a brilliant idea if we could get everybody designing it and building it. It's just finding the money and organising it."

But local councillor Tom Sharratt said raising funds herself would not be the end of the matter.

He explained: "I am always very pleased when people take the initiative themselves.

"In addition to paying for the equipment itself she would almost certainly be required to provide funds for maintenance and insurance. The way forward may not be as simple as it appears."