The dedication of a group of parents has brought a dilapidated playground back from the brink.

Greenhithe lost one of its playgrounds in 2013 when a popular family destination in Eagles Road was shut. The cliff-face at the back of the playground had begun to collapse, making it a serious safety risk.

Remedial work was promised to restore the park to glory, but it looked as thought it would be left abandoned until last year when mum Caroline Cheary stepped in and gathered support to form the Eagles Road Playground Association (ERPA).

“Since then there have been meetings and both the borough council and the town council are in favour of the playground being restored,” she explained.

“There are going to be more meetings in the next few weeks.

“There also needs to be a consultation with residents.

“Since this campaign started on Facebook last year, we’ve had a lot of residents up in arms that the playground had been taken away, so they are positive and want it reinstated.

“Once that has taken place I am hopeful we will have the playground restored by the end of the year.

“We are told on a daily basis that children need to spend more time outside, but how can they without the playground?” - Caroline Cheary

“It would make for a great Christmas present.”

The 52-year-old, who lives in nearby Sara Crescent, described the playground as an important amenity and it was vital that the authorities backed the campaign.

She continued: “Without this playground there are few recreational areas in the village.

“We are told on a daily basis that children need to spend more time outside, but how can they without the playground?”

Greenhithe parish councillors David Mote (Con) and Keith Kelly (Con) have both backed the ERPA since the outset and the leaders of Dartford council and Swanscombe and Greenhithe town are also keen to see the playground restored.

The mayor of the town council, Bryan Read, said: “The leader of Dartford council has agreed to a meeting in the near future. It shows that councils can co-operate together and hopefully some results will come out of it.

“It’s going to take a bit of time because the area was shut because of safety reasons, so they have got to address that as well as see what can be done to provide new equipment.

“No one likes to see a play area disappear so it’s a matter of what can be done to put it back into usable condition.”

Cllr Read will meet with Dartford council leader Jeremy Kite (Con) “in the near future” to discuss the plans.