The first playground in the city council's massive £2.5m refurbishment programme to improve run-down play areas will open today.

A total of £65,000 has been spent to revamp the Botley Road Recreation Ground play area.

It is the first of 52 rusting playgrounds across Oxford to be refurbished over the next two years.

The renovation work, which began just over a month ago, has seen previously under-used facilities in Helen Road, West Oxford, moved to a new location next to the West Oxford Community Centre.