IT was play time for adults as well as children at the official opening of Dawlish’s new ‘gold standard’ play park.

MP Anne Marie Morris and Mayor of Dawlish Lisa Mayne were among the first adults to try out the range of new equipment.

The £320,000 state-of-the-art play park, one of the top children’s play parks in Devon, was officially declared open by Cllr Mayne.

Fellow town councillors Linda Petherick and Val Mawhood, who were instrumental in the creation of the inclusive and accessible park, enjoyed the rides. 

They tried out the new trail which takes children and families through the Lawn to the play park at Manor Gardens. As they proceeded, the party were serenaded by Dawlish bugler Bert Parton.

Once there, Ms Morris tried out the hopscotch along the Lawn trail while Cllr Mayne took the plunge down one of the slides.

Children and parents have been delighted with the new park and trail.

Despite a set back just days after it was open to the public when vandals damaged some of the equipment, it has been a big success. 

It features a train, station office, fishing boat, Black Swan rockers and an interactive tunnel.

There is an inclusive trampoline and a play boat with a ramp for wheelchair users along with a roundabout which is also accessible.

Totem poles are positioned through the Lawn leading to the Knowle and the play park itself. 

The equipment on the Lawn includes a wooden climbing spider, a pole for measuring height which uses the equivalent heights for animals such as rhinos, lions and chimpanzees, a beehive and a pole of animal sounds. 

The park is specifically created to be accessible and inclusive. It is wheelchair-friendly and includes features for the visually-impaired.