A NATIONAL Lottery windfall of more than a quarter of a million pounds will bring better parks and play areas to Swindon.

The £256,535 has been awarded under the Fair Share scheme to help disadvantaged areas judged to have missed out previously on Lottery cash.

Parks, Walcot and Central are the three council wards in Swindon to benefit.

The money will be split, with half going to the neighbouring areas of Parks and Walcot and half going to Central.

Ward councillor for Parks Barrie Thompson (Lab) said: "This is an exciting opportunity for community groups to work together to create a cleaner and safer environment and help to provide good quality recreational services for the whole of the community."

In Parks and Walcot the money is expected to be spent on improving community recycling and on providing recreation facilities and better landscaping at the Buckhurst Field community open space.

In Central ward, the grant will pay for new equipment in the play areas next to Broad Green Social Hall and off County Road.

It will also go on improving street lighting on Manchester Road and pay for upgrading a footpath and landscaping work at Faringdon Park.

Coun John Taylor (Central, Lab) said: "The Manchester Road scheme is part of the ongoing bid to improve the quality of life in that area.

"Improved street lighting has been shown to be more effective than CCTV in deterring anti-social behaviour and petty crime.

"We were concerned to use the money across Central ward rather than focussing on one area.

"By providing for these different schemes it will benefit the maximum number of residents."

The money was given by the National Lottery New Opportunities Fund, whose Fair Share scheme aims to help 77 deprived areas across the UK which are judged to have previously missed out on Lottery funding. Swindon was designated as one of these areas because it has not received as much Lottery money as other areas.