A NEW play park has officially opened in Newtown St Boswells.

The £180,000 site is part of Scottish Borders Council's £4.8million investment in play parks and outdoor community spaces programme.

The 'accessible for all' park is suitable for children aged from three-years-old to 14 and is the second destination play park to be opened this year – a play park at Peebles' Victoria Park opened in May.

Selkirkshire councillors, Gordon Edgar, Caroline Cochrane and Elaine Thornton-Nicol, said: “This new, custom-built play park in Newtown St.Boswells is an extremely exciting development for the local area.

“It’s absolutely crucial when creating a facility like this that it is designed to meet the needs of the people who will use it most and it was extremely pleasing to be able to include local primary school children throughout the design process and get their input and feedback throughout.”

The park includes a specially design safety surfacing mural which depicts the Newtown St Boswells area and has a central 'multi-play' unit.

Eildon Housing Association gave more than £31,000 and Buccleuch Estates gave more than £26,000 to the development of the park.

As part of the council's ongoing play parks programme, facilities in Duns and Jedburgh are set to open in 2022 in addition to ongoing plans for a skate/pump track in Jedburgh and skate park in Peebles.

SBC convener councillor David Parker said: “The Council has made major strides in the last few years in bringing our play park and outdoor community spaces up to date with outstanding modern facilities.

“This new play facility will rank as one of the best in the Borders and will significantly enhance the community facilities on offer for our young people.

“I have no doubt this will make a positive contribution to the local area and will offer countless hours of fun and enjoyment to young people in the Borders.”