Works to give a "pirate-themed" playground a £1.2million facelift are well underway.

Buccaneer Bay is set to open this year in Central Park, Dartford, replacing the current play area.

Last week Dartford council leader Jeremy Kite visited the playground and updated residents on the works.

He said it will not be long until the new play area is complete, explaining: "Lots of work to do and the coloured safety surfacing will make all the difference but everything is on track and, if you pardon the pun, looking pretty shipshape.

"Thought you might like to see the work in progress.

"I also asked the guys about the extra pieces for toddler play at Queens Gardens."

The Tory leader conceded there had been a "couple of supply issues" but added they had all been sorted now and it "won't be long" until the project is complete.

Central Park’s existing play area closed from November 14 for work to begin.

When built Buccaneer Bay will cover two-and-a-half acres and has been extended to include an enclosed space for families and a picnic area – making it among the biggest of its kind in the UK.

Visitors will be able to explore a pirate ship, clamber over animals in Porpoise Bay and Crab Island before climbing an 8m tall lighthouse.

There will also be a zip-line, new equipment such as slides and swings and new water features.

Quieter, sensory zones and the pirate-themed space has been designed to ensure it is inclusive and accessible.