A PLAY park in Prudhoe is set to receive a substantial investment from Northumberland County Council.

The authority is set to invest £100,000 to refurbish the park at Prudhoe Waterworld, after Prudhoe Town Council agreed to take on the maintenance and upkeep of the site.

The play park has been closed since summer, after it failed a safety inspection. The county council had originally agreed to put in £65,000 if the town council took control of the park.

Gordon Stewart, Northumberland county councillor for Prudhoe South, who said the park had suffered from a lack of investment and had frequently been vandalised, also put in £5,000 from his small members’ schemes fund.

But talks hit a stumbling block after town councillors expressed concerns over the site’s future running costs.

The town council has now agreed to take on the park after the county council upped their offer.

A spokeswoman for Northumberland County Council said: “Prudhoe Town Council has agreed to work with Northumberland County Council to become the owners of Prudhoe Waterworld play park.

“A capital contribution of £100,000 towards the refurbishment of the facility has been agreed by Northumberland County Council.”

The deal was welcomed by the mayor of Prudhoe, Coun. Tracy Gilmore.

Coun. Gilmore said: “The town council has agreed to work with NCC to become the land owner.

“We’re taking on the play area, and we do really want to be involved in the consultation on what goes in to the park. It’s an important area.

“At the moment, it doesn’t look good. It’s in our best interests to take it on. It’s a town centre site and I’m really pleased that the county council is putting in £100,000.”