WORK on a state-of-the-art playground will begin at the Alexandra Hospital at the end of this month, it has been announced.

The play area will cost £35,000 to create and an appeal by the hospital's League of Friends to raise the money is now almost complete.

Donations and fundraising events have raised £24,900 towards the playground which will be designed for able-bodied and disabled patients.

League of Friends chairman Pat Hadley said: It really all depends on the weather. If it stays frosty we will be able to start but if we have torrential rain again we will not be able to dig the current playground up and start again.

The playground will include specialist equipment to aid the recovery of patients at the same time as giving them fresh air instead of being inside.

League spokesman Jill Griffin said: We are very nearly there with the appeal. We have had great support from Redditch schools and we have raised more than £1,000 from them. They have been very kind by donating money from their Christmas concerts.

She added: We would like to put seating around the playground and an area for beds and wheelchairs so everybody can go out.

Work on the playground is expected to take about three weeks and the league hopes it will be up and running by Easter.

Anyone who would like to make a donation can contact the league on 503030 or Pat Hadley on 0121 4453084.