A WORCESTER play area destroyed in a suspected arson attack is enjoying a new lease of life after a council revamp.

Joyous families have spoken of their delight after Worcester City Council decided to restore Field Walk playground, off Bath Road in Battenhall.

Back in March a fire caused £15,000 worth of damage to the site, with angry community leaders calling it "a crime against the community".

The play spot now features brand new equipment once more, with the deputy Mayor of Worcester Councillor Steve Mackay - who represents the area - calling it "fantastic".

He said: "I think it's great the city council has replaced the play equipment but not only that, they've repainted all the other bits as well, and really brought it up to date.

"Children are having a great time, I think it's really important that the city continues to budget for all the play areas across all the wards, so all children can benefit."

Ransome Avenue Parent Lisa Neath, 41, who goes there with her son Benjamin, aged three, said: "It's a really nice playground, it's always busy given how many young children live around here.

"I really like it."

The playground is by Cherry Orchard Primary School and had to be cordoned off back in the spring due to the extent of the damage.

Nobody was ever caught for the blaze, which ripped through the site after it took hold at around 9.30pm at night.

After the wreckage parents hit out at the mess, saying "hundreds of kids" would suffer from losing a popular play area.

The site's new lease of life comes at a time when the council's Labour cabinet is about to sink £100,000 into improving playgrounds in Worcester.

Some £60,000 will be spent on a new playground off Oldbury Road in St John's, with the rest spent on upgrading the King George V playing fields and the equipment at Medway Road, as we revealed last week.

The cabinet is meeting tomorrow to endorse the spending package, with Cllr Jabba Riaz, cabinet member for clean, green and leisure services, calling good play facilities around Worcester "essential".

"I'm sure both parents and their children will appreciate and enjoy the results," he said.