PLANS to revamp a Nelson play area have sparked a debate over the origin of the facilty's name.

The question has been posed as plans progress to revamp the land on the corner of Barkerhouse Road and Netherfield Road.

The £80,000 project, funded by Elevate and Pendle Council, will see the play area for under-15s given a face-lift.

Neighbourhood manager Rob Mooney said: "There was a lot of consultation with local people, especially young people, on the new play area and there's been a lot of interest in the name.

"We're told it was named after a woman called Cat, but nobody knows who Cat was.

Another theory is that the word cat can refer to a path and it could be a reference to a path up Nether Field."

Local historian John A. Clayton says that the origins of the area can be traced to mediaeval times when Netherfield, meaning lower town field, belonged to the hamlet of Bradley. Cat's Park was on the site of an ancient road.

"This lead from Bradley into the Nether Field ploughlands and onwards up to the Catlow field.

"The term can signify a footpath, but I would strongly favour the Catlow origin."

The site was later home to Netherfield House, forming part of the Rigg family's Netherfield estate.

The council say work should be completed by April.