A councillor has welcomed the opening of a new multi-use games area.

The official launch of the facility at Lothersdale Recreation Ground coincided with the village’s diamond jubilee festivities.

After nearly 100 children in royal fancy dress marched in a procession to the ground, organisers held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the new facility.

The games area was paid for by a £41,000 grant from Groundworks UK, which manages the National Lottery-funded Community Spaces initiative.

“It’s transformed the area,” said Coun Mark Wheeler (Lib Dem, Aire Valley with Lothersdale). “The old tennis courts were in such a bad state and prone to flooding. The new multi-use games area is certainly a better facility for the village.”

Coun Wheeler, who helped Lothersdale Social Club navigate its way through the planning process, added: “It was good to be part of something that will be a huge benefit to the village for years to come.”

The social club applied for the grant after the parish council supported a request from schoolchildren, who wanted to replace the dilapidated tennis courts.

Three of those children, Izobella West, Isobel Harrison and Freya Bellamy, all aged ten and year five pupils at Lothersdale Primary School, spoke before the ribbon-cutting ceremony about how the project got off the ground.

“Lothersdale is fortunate to have a dedicated group of villagers who were willing to put the time and effort into this sort of project,” said Coun Wheeler.

“The children had complained to the parish council that it was a bit of a dump.

“It’s good that they got involved in the process and that the parish council listened to the children and made it happen. Their ideas were turned into concrete, bricks and mortar.

“The village really invests in the facilities they offer for children. There is a pretty comprehensive play area, this new multi-use games area, a youth shelter and a football pitch, all within the same area.”