NEW play equipment for older children is needed at Portishead’s Lake Grounds, according to the results of a survey.

Youth workers, childminders and social care workers were among those who joined an online group which questioned the decision by North Somerset Council not to allow new equipment to be installed at the seafront beauty spot.

The Lake Grounds Play Equipment Campaign (LG-PEC) was set up by a group of parents after the authority refused landlord’s permission to accept Portishead Town Council’s offer to fund and install four new pieces of apparatus.

As a result, campaigners organised a survey, which was placed in several retail outlets, to gauge public opinion.

More than 200 people took part in the survey, of which 96 per cent lived in Portishead.

Some 77 per cent of respondents wanted to see new equipment installed and 71 per dent did not think North Somerset Council should be able to refuse the town council’s offer.

Mum-of-two Sarah Jackson, a campaign member, said: “Portishead was lucky enough to be offered £30,000 worth of equipment for our children to use and lots of parents have deemed it an unreasonable response to refuse it.”

The survey results have now been forwarded to North Somerset and Portishead Town Council.

Sarah added: “As residents who have designed, distributed and managed this survey in their own time, we expect to receive a formal response from the town council and unitary authority regarding the decision about the play equipment as soon as possible.”

For more details about the survey or the campaign visit www.facebook.com/groups/521956464487251 or email lakegrounds_play_equipment@hotmail.co.uk