An ambitious plan to spend £100,000 on children's play areas in Ongar has been launched as part of a major drive to improve facilities.

The move comes as a safety survey has revealed faults in existing play equipment, most of it 30 years old, and a potentially hazardous slide is being removed.

Ongar Parish council has applied to Essex Environment Trust for a grant for most of the cost of refurbishing the town's three sites in Love Lane, Marden Ash and St Peter's Avenue, Shelley and has also budgeted for £10,000 from its own funds.

Council chairman Derek Jacobs told the Gazette: "New, young families are moving into the town and we need to improve the facilities available to them.

We've been busy identifying what needs to be done. Play equipment is expensive and though we've looked at other ways to raise funds, we're hoping that our grant application will be considered favourably.

"If we're unsuccessful we have got the problem of maintaining the existing equipment from our existing budget. It is our duty to make it as safe as possible."

Members of the council's open spaces committee led by Cllr Ron Barnes have visited and photographed play areas in other districts to get ideas for the refurbishment.

Four firms have been asked for quotes for the provision of a small tunnel slide, a climbing frame, stepping blocks and balance bars, a climbing wall, bridges and roundabout swings. Prices were also being sought for fencing.

Parish clerk Tony Sutherland said in a report that the annual inspection of play area equipment had revealed a number of faults, which would cost more than £1,000 to repair.

He said: "The slide at St Peter's Avenue does not conform to present criteria due to jointed construction and guard rails and head rails are potential limb and head traps."

Mr Sutherland added that the council's insurers were aware of the position and have confirmed that insurance was not affected. There was no legal obligation to remove the slide but a £555 estimate had been obtained for the work and a risk assessment survey had been called for.

An application has been made to Epping Forest District Council for a grant to improve the Ongar Bridge to Greensted estate footpath including the provision of a ramp for the disabled behind the lorry park.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.