Volunteers got their hands dirty on Oxford’s biggest estate at the weekend as they pitched in to clear an abandoned playground.

The Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground closed in December 2009 after financial concerns.

But the much-missed play park was thrown a lifeline last week, when the Oxford Mail’s parent company Newsquest handed out £6,590 from its Gannett Foundation.

So the community came together on Saturday to start work clearing the site.

Committee secretary Sue Price said: “We nearly didn’t have enough jobs for everyone, we had so many people coming along.

“It’s fantastic to see so many people from the community getting together to help.

“We have recently been going into the local schools and asking parents and children if they would like to see the playground back.

“We have had an overwhelmingly positive response, so we are confident this is something the community wants.”

The money from the Gannett Foundation will now be used for materials and volunteer training for the playground.

Committee members hope it will reopen to the public on April 16 next year.

Pictured are committee members Sue Price and Kieran Watson with some of the young volunteers. From left: Mia Gomm, Sebastian Trivella, Sheldon Smith, Kyia Potter, Daniella Smith and Callum Gomm