The last play park renovated as part of a £1.1m regeneration project across a town has opened.

Spearpoint Recreation Ground in Kennington, Ashford, opened after the £360,000 revamp was completed.

Work started at the park in November and families who live nearby attended the grand opening on Monday which saw the Mayor of Ashford, Jenny Webb, cut the ribbon.

The new site was originally set to be built in the same location as the old play area but as the revamped facility has a lot more equipment and therefore a much larger footprint, there were issues with a need to divert a footpath to enable the play area to be in the location.

An Ashford Borough Council (ABC) spokesman said: "Approval for a diversion would have taken the delivery of the final installation into 2024, proving to be a barrier to completing the works within contract.

"The new location was selected taking into account distance from neighbouring properties, ground conditions and football pitch playing areas. We had overwhelming positive feedback from users at the opening event for the new location."

The play area has been split into zones with easy access between each, for infants, toddlers, juniors, teens, a respite area and fitness area. It features 65 new play activities, with equipment for all abilities.

The infant and toddler zones feature lots of spinning, swinging and sliding options to entertain, including a bespoke Heinkel-inspired plane equipment to commemorate the heritage of the site when a German bomber crashed there in 1941.

For older children there are multiple play options over varying levels, with a junior play tower and jungle dome, a pendulum swing and a 20m double racing cableway.

For children who may benefit from a quieter area to play, there is the respite and sensory area. Some of the new equipment in this area includes sensory play panels – a hello sign language and hello braille, a hangout pod and rainwheel.

Working with Kompan on the design and construction of the play area, recycled materials have been used in parts throughout, with the toddler four-tower multiplay unit manufactured predominantly from post-consumer plastic including recycled ocean waste.

There are also brand new benches and picnic tables at the recreation ground which are wheelchair friendly.

A new footpath has also been added to the site as part of the work.

The path leads from the pavilion, around the football pitch and then through to the new outdoor gym and play area, providing access all year round.

Three new trees are also set to be planted adjacent to the play area to provide extra screening to neighbouring properties and provide shade.

Cllr Matthew Forest, ABC cabinet member for recreation, said: "It was brilliant to see so many of the local community come along to the grand opening and seeing children get to explore the endless play opportunities on the brand new equipment.

“It is important to provide children of all ages a safe place to play and the new play area is a fantastic addition to the facilities available at Spearpoint Recreation Ground.”