A new adventure-style play area has been opened at Musbury Primary School, thanks to an impressive fundraising drive by its Parent Teacher & Friends Association (PTFA).

They raised £6,000 towards the new equipment which includes a climbing wall, hanging bridge, climbing nets, tyres and hanging ropes.

In gratitude for the amount raised, the school wanted to hold a big opening event to thank the community for their hard work.

The play area, known as the Trim Trail, was officially opened on Friday, January 20 by the county councillor for Axminster Ian Hall and his wife Maria.

Cllr Hall said: “The new play equipment offers a lovely outdoor space for the children to explore, and I am sure it will provide them with a huge amount of enjoyment for many years to come.”

Children from the School Council read small passages explaining what the play area meant to the pupils. One said they ‘loved the slide and enjoyed being able to play with their friends’.

Maria Hall then cut the ribbon to cheers from the children, parents, carers and members of the school community who attended the event.

Cllr Hall has strong family connections to the school; his father was a pupil in the 1940s and also played in Musbury Skiffle Band and for the local football team, Musbury FC.

Cllr Hall himself played in the village as a child and has happy memories of the area.

He praised the work of the PTFA in raising the funds for the play area, saying it was a huge achievement for a small rural school. Musbury Primary currently has just 42 pupils on its roll.

The afternoon was rounded off with tea and biscuits in the main school hall. Cllr and Maria Hall then visited the children in their classrooms to have a chat with them and find out all about their current school projects and learning.

The school’s headteacher Clair Murrell said: “It is privilege to work in a school that is supported so wholeheartedly by the community. This wonderful addition to our school will allow the children to continue to enjoy the outdoors in all weathers.”