Pirate-themed playground set for £130k improvements

A pirate-themed children's play area is set to undergo £130,000 worth of improvement works.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council said work on the Canford Cliffs site, known as Treasure Island, would begin in April.

At the centre of the project is a new pirate ship - complete with climbing equipment, slides and a zip wire - which will replace the existing structure.

The scheme is part of the local authority's £4.4m Plan for Play project, which will see repairs and improvement works taking place at 120 parks across the district.

Sandra Moore, from BCP Council, said the Treasure Island improvement plans were a "fantastic example of what can be achieved through collaboration" and "putting our communities at the heart of decision making".

"By working alongside passionate community groups and residents, our team is now able to deliver real improvements that we know will be loved by the community for generations to come," she said.

Around the centre-piece ship at the heart of the new park, themed play zones will feature balancing equipment, rope swings and rocking springers.

The improvements at Treasure Island have been joint-funded by the Canford Cliffs Land Society and BCP Council.

Peter Dawes, chairman of Canford Cliffs Land Society, explained the group had funded the park's current equipment "several years ago".

"So this provides a logical continuation to our involvement with the local community," he said.

Work on the Treasure Island playground will begin next month, and is expected to last between four to six weeks.