A TOWN Council is to spend £190,000 refitting five children’s playgrounds.

The cash will be uses to refurbish the areas in Alkincoats Park, the King George V playing fields, West Street, Waterside Upper and Waterside Lower.

In January the town council took over responsibility for the playgrounds from Pendle Borough Council along with Alkincoats Park and the Grade II listed Colne Town Hall.

In February it went out to consultation to borrow £250,000, including £160,000 towards the playground improvements project and the loan was accepted for the it to take the project forward.

A review of the town council’s portfolio of playgrounds had identified a large amount of improvement works needed including replacing surfaces and equipment.

The refit of the five areas will take place over the coming 10 weeks.

Cllr Mary Thomas, who chairs Colne Town Council said: "This is the latest improvement project that the town council have undertaken, and we are excited to be able to improve the facilities available in Colne for the residents

"We hope that residents will understand that for this to take place they will be temporarily closed but will be opened after the improvements."

Pendle Borough councillor Lord Tony Greaves, who represents Waterside ward in Colne, said: "This is excellent.

"It is very good news indeed for the town.

"Pendle Council uses to have a rolling programme of refurbishing playgrounds every ten years or so but ran out of the money to do it.

"This is exactly what the town council should do and why the borough transferred responsibility for them over to it.

"It is particularly important for our children as we come out of the coronavirus lockdown. Some of the playgrounds are in deprived areas of Colne where they are a much-needed resource."

Last month Pendle Borough councillors approved the transfer of a small section of land to Colne Town Council to enable it to combine the two existing Waterside play areas into one and improve it and install new equipment.

Pictures of the improvements will be on the Colne Town Council website,