JOHN Healey MP, Labour’s shadow communities and housing minister, visited Margrove Park Village Hall, near Guisborough, to hear residents voice their anger at the axing of a scheme to build a new play park.

Plans to spend £50,000 on new woodland play facilities in the village have been shelved after the Coalition Government’s decision to axe funding for the national Playbuilders scheme.

Mr Healey and Tom Blenkinsop, the Labour MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, heard from mothers and other residents about their disappointment at the cuts.

Parish councillor Kath Nolan said: “The children keep asking me, ‘where’s our play areas?’ It’s a shame.

“They did come down personally, promised that it would be built, and we were looking forward to it.”

Mr Blenkinsop said: “It’s a short-term cut with long-term consequences. The local community have spent a lot of time and effort helping to design the play area. It’s helped to galvanise the community into helping itself.”

Mr Healey chatted with residents about the plan for the play park, including Fiona El- Tawab, who said: “It’s such a shame for the kids as they had actually promised these facilities for the village.”

Resident Laura Weir said: “We’ve been trying to come up with other ideas and we’re looking to other funding, especially to do with the nature trail.

They’ve got the small park here, but they soon grow out of it and there’s nothing else for them to do.”

Mr Healey pledged his support for the scheme and said: “I’ve really enjoyed spending the morning in this village hall here. This is a community with a lot of pride and a really strong sense of community.

“The mums and dads have been involved in planning this new playground and are desperately disappointed. The money was agreed and set aside, but has now been taken away.

“Small amounts of money for schemes like this make a big difference.

We’re not going to let it lie. With the local MP and councillor, we will campaign to get the money restored, but will look for other sources of funds.

The residents are ready to raise part of the money themselves, but £50,000 is a big ask for a small village.”