BRANSTON Ltd has chipped in and donated £7,500 towards a new play area for Shepton Beauchamp.

The potato firm Branston has donated the large sum to Shepton Beauchamp Parish Council, to help to improve the children’s play area located at the village recreation field.

The current play area needs significant modernisation and the improvements, which will be developed during early spring next year, will include a new fun slide, a zip wire with an aerial runway, swings for younger children, balance beams for BMX bikes, play tunnels and seating for adults.

Pete Sanderson, from the recreation field committee, said: “The village has long needed to modernise the play area for local children.

“The money donated by Branston will mean that we can extend the existing area as well as putting in new and much better equipment for children to play on.

“This will entice more local children and their families to use the facility. It will make a massive difference to the local area, and we are really grateful to Branston for the very generous donation.”

Ian Wait, general manager at Branston’s south west site, said: “As a company, we are keen to support local causes to support and when Pete approached us about helping out with the costs towards the playing field, we were more than happy to contribute.

“It is really important for local children to have somewhere safe to play and we hope that the new playground will keep children of all ages entertained for many years to come.”