NEW equipment and a skate park brush-up are just some of the improvements the city council has announced it will make across its play areas this year.

Worcester City Council has highlighted some of the principal work it will carry out in the next 12 months at the historical Fort Royal Park, Howard Road, Debdale Avenue, Bodiam Close, Bishops Avenue and Cornmeadow Lane.

Plans include replacing a rotting climbing frame in Fort Royal Park and making a number of repairs to the skate park in Howard Road play area off Oldbury Road in St John's including damage to concrete.

Bodiam Close play area opposite Woodgreen Drive in Warndon will be resurfaced. Part of the large play area was replaced in 2017 with £7,000 coming from Warndon Parish Council.

New equipment will also be installed for juniors in the Bishops Avenue play area in Merrimans Hill.

The council's own inspectors and externally appointed inspectors saw Debdale Avenue play area in Warndon as in poor condition and in need of attention.

The city council is due to replace all the equipment and completely resurface the tarmac this year.

The city council regularly inspects its 45 play areas and improving and maintaining its play areas costs the council around £113,000 a year.

Maintenance and improvements of the city's play areas are part of a five-year plan put together by the council, inspectors and councillors.

The latest plan, compiled in 2017, found the city's play areas are in generally good condition with 80 per cent showing they should last for at least eight years and 67 per cent showing they should last for at least the next decade.

The latest work follows on from work carried out to play areas across the city in the last year.

New equipment, fencing and flooring was completed in March in the Battenhall Rise play area, new equipment was installed and bark was replaced in Trotshill Lane East play area, new equipment was installed and resurfacing work was carried out in Weir Lane play area and a new 'rotator' was installed alongside resurfacing work in Old Tolladine Road play area last year.

The city council's environment committee meets next Tuesday (May 28) to discuss the report and approve the improvement plan.