Years of hard work and dedication has finally paid off for a group of mums who launched a campaign to get a children’s play area revamped.

The Friends of Lovell Road group was formed three years ago by the Minster street residents.

They set about raising funds to improve the Lovell Road play area which at the time contained just a set of swings and a climbing frame.

Now, more than £55,000 later, the playground has a platform house, jumping discs, a see-saw, sound cushions, a springy, a wooden duck family and a roundabout.

There are also murals around the outside of the area which were created by school children and the concrete which was there has been replaced with grass, trees and shrubs.

It was officially opened, by members of the group and people who have supported the scheme, last Monday.

The ribbon was cut by Mark Potter from Maylow Construction, which has worked with the group over the years.

The project has been mostly funded by The Big Lottery Fund’s community space programme and grants also came from Minster Parish Council and Cllr Adrian Crowther’s KCC budget.

Group chairman Belinda Skinner thanked all the organisations who have been involved and said without them, it wouldn’t have been possible.

“Mark Potter and his team have gone beyond the call of duty and we cannot thank them enough,” she added.

“We would also like to say a special thank you to Alan Marolia from Swale Borough Council who has worked with us from the beginning and has been a constant source of advice and support.

“We have been very lucky to have had the paint for the fencing bordering the park donated by Andy Brown of Jotun Paints and the paint brushes donated by Paul Beach of PR Decorators.

“We would like to say a huge thank-you to everyone who came and got soaking wet to help us celebrate.

“It has been a long but eventful journey and we are very proud of what we have achieved. The park now has something for all members of the community to enjoy.”