There was a mad rush of children on Saturday eager to try out the new equipment they helped choose for the extended play area in Everleigh.

The parish council spent just over £20,000 which, with only 200 households in the village on the edge of Salisbury Plain, equated to about £100 per family.

However, all the money came in the form of grants. The former Kennet District Council chipped in £10,000; the Hills Group based in Marlborough gave £11,400 from landfill tax credits; Legal and General and the former Tidworth area board each donated £1,000.

Parish council chairman David Beaton said Hills had been particularly generous towards Everleigh because it had donated £6,000 about six years ago towards some of the existing equipment in the play area.

A sub committee of three parish councillors led by Tony Bradford consulted local children to get ideas of the kind of equipment they wanted and the shopping list included a giant round swing and a multi climbing frame.

Alan Pardoe, Hills Group chairman, went along on Saturday to officially open the new play area.

Coun Beaton said: “There was a fabulous turn out. When we opened the gate there was this mad rush and within seconds every piece of equipment was in use.”

Many families enjoyed picnics on the adjacent area that has been set aside for a BMX track. Coun Beaton said that although a start had been made on creating the BMX jumps the village would have to raise at least £5,000 more to complete it.