PARENTS have launched a £50,000 campaign for a playground in their Hampshire village.

Copythorne is the largest parish in the New Forest without its own playground.

Parents Laurie Gibbs and Holly Green have stepped up their campaign to get the facility for their community.

And their drive has been given a boost when Hampshire theme park Paultons Park donated £10,000 to the fund.

Now there is a call for other businesses to get behind the scheme.

Owner and managing director of Paultons Park, Richard Mancey, donated the cash to kick-start the fundraising process after hearing about the local cause.

Parents Laurie Gibbs and Holly Green have presented a business plan to Copythorne Parish Council, which has agreed to fund the ongoing costs required once the playground is built.

Laurie said: “There have been several attempts to build a playground in the past but a site has not been previously identified. “One difficulty organisers have faced has been finding an individual or business willing to insure and fund the annual maintenance required following the build. “Holly and I started a committee with local businessmen Michael Lashmar and Martin Lander, and local parish councillor Simon Lucas, to raise the much-needed £50,000 to begin the playground build. “So many children will benefit from the safe outdoor space to play; it will bring families together within the community and ease congestion at local schools.

“We held an open event in November to gather support and ideas and to hear any feedback, which was really successful.

“We were thrilled when we received an email from Richard Mancey who offered us an amazing sum of money to get us started.

“This leaves us with the task of raising the remaining £40,000.

“We’ve given ourselves a target to have the playground built by spring 2018.”

Paultons boss Richard added: “It’s safe to say that the Copythorne playground is well overdue.

“When I heard Laurie and Holly were appealing to local businesses for financial support we of course wanted to help.

“I hope other businesses will do the same and help the committee reach their spring 2018 target.”