THE PLAYGROUND at Bold Venture Park, Darwen, is to be refurbished after local people complained about its condition.

Councillor David Smith, representative for Sunnyhurst, revealed that the improvements would take place over the next couple of months.

He added that the police had been working hard to rid the park of vandals.

He hoped that the revamp, combined with the improvements, would encourage more people to use the playground.

Mrs Doreen Crompton, 66, of Lightbown Street, Darwen, is one who felt the park had deteriorated.

She takes her great-grandchildren once a week to feed the ducks and go on the playground.

She was delighted it is being improved, but said she wished it had been done in time for the summer holidays.

"It has deteriorated something shocking." she said.

"The park just needs some tender loving care. Blackburn seems to get everything -- like the lottery money for Corporation Park -- but we pay our rates like they do and we just want the money spread a little. My great-grand children ring up and ask if we can go to the park to feed the ducks, but we are scared to take her on the playground -- it's dangerous. "It needs renovating completely.

"Most parks have rubber paving to protect the children, but we don't have anything like that.

"The rose garden in front of the aviary was beautiful but now all we've got is four foot high weeds.

"More people would go to it if it was better looked after.

"It's not fit for anyone to go to at present."

Councillor Smith said: "It's going to be painted and refurbished. I've had a few complaints about the play area but that is now to be done up.

"The main problem is the vandalism and the police have been working hard to solve it. They now have patrols up there.

"Vandalism rears its ugly head up there every now and again.

"The playground is for families, but other young people have hung around it.

"More people would use the play area as a result of the improvements and this would be one way of reducing the vandalism."

He added that he had not received any complaints about the flower beds, but Mrs Crompton could contact the Town Hall to voice concerns.