The new playground at Shade School contains the latest play equipment and is open to all children in the town.

Those who had a role to play in its development were at the school to open it in time for the summer holidays and they hope it will provide pleasure for youngsters for many years to come.

Headteacher Simon Harbrow explained that the completion of the playground was the culmination of four years hard work by school governors and the rest of the school community and was phase one of work planned to improve the school.

The next phase will be to develop a car park on some of the school's ground, enabling traffic to be moved off Knowlwood Road, making it safer for everyone, and developing garden space.

At a special assembly Year 6 pupils Joe Battersby and Clodagh Metcalfe welcomed guests including Nigel Oliver of the Green Business Network, Deputy Mayor of Todmorden Coun Cheryl Stovin, and chairman of the school Governors, Amanda Ward.

Mr Harbrow said information and entertainment boards around the playground perimeter had been developed by children from the school with Todmorden-based artist Chris Sherwin, who had helped them realise their words and designs.

"These are the children's words on there and they give information about things like the seasons and things around here, like the Gauxholme bridge," he said.

Nigel Oliver of Green Business Network told children that one of the first schemes he had worked upon ten years ago, a water-saving scheme, was at Shade School and this "Space For Shade" project was "truly fantastic."

Nigel said waste disposal group Biffa deserved a special mention as they had given the £50,000 "Biffaward" to allow the scheme to go-ahead.

"This is one part of the project and we are hoping to do so much with flowers and vegetable beds, footpaths and a car park - we want to make it safer than what it is. Hopefully we will be starting work on that in the winter," he said.

Chairman of Governors Amanda Ward thanked all who had worked to realise the project, including the community for supporting the project. "It is a fantastic facility for the community - we now have a playground that will be used and enjoyed for many years."

Deputy Mayor Coun Stovin added: "It's a seriously exciting project with a tremendous amount of hard work from everyone.

"Enjoy it and make use of it."